Queen of Broken Hearts
by BlackBeltDancer
Summary: Avianna has had her entire life ripped from her and has been thrust into the world of the Grey Wardens. She has lost everything and isn't quite sure she is Grey Warden material now that she is stuck with the title, the group don't get along as well as they should...can things ever improve? Disclaimer: Obvs. I do not own DA (Bioware gets that honor)
1. Chapter 1

Please enjoy, read, review, that sort of thing. I got into doing this fan-fiction to compete in the Camp NaNoWriMo for the month of April, so hopefully I can keep the momentum going and get some good writing juice flowing and get my mojo back. Stressed killed it, and now it's time I get back to one of my passions. =] Constructive criticism is appreciated!

Frost clung to the edges of the glade, still crisp from the chill of the evening. The girl with long, strawberry blonde hair slipped through the morning fog like a specter, weaving in and out of the trees and shrubs. Clad in knee high leather boots and soft doeskin hunting garb (barely hitting mid-thigh over the worn cotton pants, how scandalous for a young lady), she looked to be one of the common-folk and moved as the hunters did, but with a grace and ease that was far more suited to that of the ladies of court. Her slender fingers curled around the two small throwing knives that hung on each hip, and with delicate but deliberate flair, she drew them and twirled them around in her palms. She had seen her brother do this multiple times when they were growing up – surely it couldn't be that bad, right? A flick of the wrist, aim down the hand, both eyes open, and throw the knife. With a quick motion, she tried for the tree…and missed completely. A frown crossed her face, and she tried again, adding more muscle to the throw. Another knife lost in the grass.

"Damn…" She cursed. Avianna Cousland was not one to contend with the typical social graces that ladies should hold, and she didn't always show it, despite her breeding and upbringing. She was wild as the Highever landscape, but as beautiful as the sunrises and sunsets that graced the land. The girl saw the world through eyes like the land, one green and one blue, both bright and vibrant as the spring. With determined footsteps, she walked over to where the throwing knives had landed in the grass, picked them up, and paced back to her former spot. This task would not best her. Surely she could figure it out! Avianna tried again, and again, throwing and throwing til her wrist ached and her lips were sore from puckering them in frustration. But, she had only managed to just begin hitting the tree, and she was still far from striking her target with any accuracy. That would take a great deal more practice than she was able to give to the task today. But, she would be able to do one more thing that had managed to accrue talent in, and that was the double blades strapped to her back. She grasped them with an impish grin and flipped them from their sheaths, drawing them quickly in an x before her. The blades danced around her as she slashed and stepped, graceful and elegant, as if she were dancing with them, rather than performing complicated fighting forms. Avianna got closer and closer to the tree with each step, and without hesitating for a moment, planted a foot firmly on the rough bark, and flipped herself up, back, and over, slicing off the head of an imaginary foe as she landed. Another flick of the wrists and she was slinging the imaginary blood off, letting it fly as she extended her arms, daggers pointed straight out to impale her oncoming enemies.

Avianna stood slowly and sheathed her daggers. The fog had been burning off for quite some time now, and by this point of the day she needed to be back in the castle. A sigh escaped her lips. Why on earth was it that she had to lose her freedom so soon? Couldn't the Blight have waited a bit longer to rear its ugly head? It simply wasn't fair. But, it wouldn't do to keep bemoaning the subject…she was stuck with her fate, and she had to deal with it with grace and dignity, as she had been brought up to do. The girl wandered over to her grazing mare and clambered aboard, leading her toward the road and the city beyond. The stone walls were always a comforting sight to her, but today it felt more imposing than it did before. The army was packed and moving to join King Cailen's army in Ostagar, and the noise was a clattering, booming off the walls and echoing back through the trees. Avianna's horse skittered nervously away from the crowd, which parted with a cheer, letting her cross the road and head up the road toward the gate. She gave the men a wave and smile, gaining another rowdy shout. They were proud of what they were doing, even though she knew that for many of them, they would never be returning home. The Blight wasn't a simple war, one that could be won over a dignitary's table or bought with the price of a princess's hand…this was something that took the power of something far more…legendary. She dismissed those unpleasant thoughts as she and her mount wove their way through the marketplace, dodging the buyers and sellers on the busy morning. Less people moved out of her way, but thankfully she didn't have too much trouble getting through the crowd. The castle gate was open, letting her into her childhood home with welcoming arms. Avianna slid down from her mare and handed the reigns to a stable hand that came running to her side, letting him take care of the horse.

All around the courtyard, people were bustling with duties; some were discussing where carts were to be unloaded with food, some elves were hauling firewood toward the kitchen, still others were carrying other unmarked bags and boxes to various doors. Avianna's father and brother, Treyn Bryce Cousland and Fergus Cousland were leaving to join the King's armies in the war against the Blight, and much preparation had yet to be done. Teyrn Bryce was leaving the next day, waiting to greet a few more Arls that were yet to meet up with him and march on to Ostagar. Fergus, however, would be leaving later that afternoon to meet up with the army and march with them to meet up with the King. It would be better for at least one of the Cousland men to be there when the army arrived. Once her father and brother both had gone, however, Avianna would be left in charge of running the arling. It wasn't going to be easy, but she had been training all her life for such a time as this. When she married she would have to know how to run an arling, as her husband would not always be there, and she would have to step up and do the work herself. So, at the young age of nineteen, she was more than ready to take the next big step in her life. And, by next big step, she was being prepped for a marriage to a man she had barely met. But, she barely knew him, and it felt more than a little strange to be betrothed to someone so…distant. Life was always this way, as it had been for her mother to her father, but Avianna knew she would learn to love Arl Howe's eldest son, Thomas, in time. It certainly didn't mean she would have to like the situation, which she didn't. For the most part, Avianna kept her mouth shut on the matter, and tried to keep her opinion to herself. It fared her better to be silent on such things, as she retained more of her freedoms that way.

The castle hall was fairly quiet, for all the hustle and bustle outside. Avianna peeked through the doorway and noticed two men in formal wear standing down at the end of the hall, one a familiar form to her, the other, one that she could not place. Well, better get things going and not shirk the fact that she couldn't get past this dreadful day any more. She walked into the room, gracefully stepping down the carpeted stone, listening to the mumbled chatter of how a march would be delayed til the next morning.

"It's completely my fault. They are bogged down with this blasted weather that we've been having, and I can't move an army very fast. They should be here by this evening though, and we can leave with them then." The lilt of Arl Rendon Howe's voice was an old, but not unknown ring in her ears. So, Howe's men were delayed. Surely he wouldn't be too happy about that.

"That's fine, Howe. We will leave with them and march tomorrow, just like the old days. Only this time, we will be fighting monsters, not Orlesians!" Her father chuckled, turning and catching a glimpse of his daughter. The smile that lit up his face made Avianna beam back. "Ah, pup, I didn't see you there! Come, say hello to Arl Howe! He will be staying with us this evening."

"Ah, young Lady Cousland, you have grown into such a lovely young woman. It's nice to see you again my dear." He had a slightly sarcastic tone to his voice that Avianna bit the inside of her cheek at. There was something that she just could not stomach about the man, but she always figured that it was just his personality that was off-putting. Either way, she would be tied to this man and his family forever, and she had to respect him for that. So, with a drop of a curtsey, she fluttered her eyelashes delicately and smiled.

"Pleased to see you as well, Arl Howe. And how is Thomas? It has been some time since I have heard from him…" It had been several months since the last letter, and he had mentioned that he would be busy with his further studies toward the running of Amaranthine when his father would pass it on to him. She knew he would be beyond busy, but still, how hard was it to pick up a pen and write to her? Frustrated was not how she would put her emotions on the subject.

Arl Howe chuckled. "Don't worry your pretty little head about Thomas. He is fine and sends his regards to you." No more was said on the subject, and Avianna let it go, barely disappointed about it. She would get to write him later, when time was less of an issue.

The door behind them opened once more, and a tall, imposing figure strode into the room, great with purpose and dignity. Avianna could not help but gawk at him. He looked to be about the same age as Teyrn Cousland, but more worn, as if he had seen things that no man should have, but those things had made him a hundred times stronger. The ferocious beard that gnarled and twisted over his face was like a bramble bush, guarding the lips that likely never smiled, but probably barked orders – either one she did not want to find out.

"Ah, Duncan! It's good to see you have finally arrived, and safely too. I can't stay to talk at the moment, as I have many things to do to get ready for tomorrow, but we will talk this evening over dinner. This," Teyrn Cousland said, placing a hand on his daughter's back and gently motioning toward her. "Is my daughter Avianna. She will lead you to your quarters and help you with anything you need."

Despite the beard, Duncan smiled at the young woman, and Avianna felt a small smile breach her own lips. It was contagious when you were with him – he just seemed pleasant enough, for now at least. "Thank you very much, Teyrn Cousland. I will be out speaking with Sir Gilmore later, after a brief rest. Again, thank you for your hospitality and for letting me inspect the troops and the recruitment. The Grey Wardens are grateful."

Grey Wardens? Avianna's eyes lit up at the words. Brother Aldous had taught her about them when she was younger, giving her lectures on their heroic battles with the darkspawn, pushing back the Blights to help save the world. Stories even had told of them once riding griffon mounts, but the griffons were long since dead, a sad ending to one of the chapters in the story of the Wardens, to be sure. With a kiss to her father's cheek, another nod to Arl Howe, and a courteous wave of her hand to Duncan, off the girl trod toward the hallway. The Grey Warden would be put up in one of the better rooms down in the guest wing, near where Arl Howe would be quartered. The guest padding along at her side was a quiet man, and despite his massive size, he stepped quietly, as if he was hunting prey that could hear him walking on the plush carpet. It impressed her.

Avianna cleared her throat. "So…might I ask why you are here, serah?" He had mentioned looking at the troops and had specifically named Sir Gilmore, one of her friends in the guard. Perhaps he had already made the choice of who he was looking to conscript.

"Duncan. Please, call me Duncan." The Warden cleared his throat a bit uncomfortably. "I am here to invoke the Rite of Conscription. The Grey Wardens need recruits, now more than ever. I am running out of time to find more though, so I am in dire need of at least one, maybe more, willing and able bodies for the task." He shook his head sadly. Avi murmured a soft agreement. He must be referring to the march on the morrow in regards to time running out.

"Are the Wardens very picky on who they choose to be in their order? I would think that many would want to join the ranks and be a part of the glory that is shown in your history…" Her voice trailed off when Duncan chortled at her words. It stung a bit that he thought her words so amusing.

"Honor and glory play no part in it, my lady. The job of a Warden is not seen so highly or with such romanticism. It is more of a task suited to the dirty dogs of war…it is the seedy underbelly that so many people see and ignore. A Warden does a thankless job that many see and few understand, and no one knows fully, save the Wardens themselves. We are a strange folk indeed, but that does not mean we are not proud, strong, and vicious warriors in our own right. We are all of those things and more, and we could do to have someone who paints such bright and gleaming pictures in our midst. Perhaps…" Duncan looked down at Avianna thoughtfully. "I wonder…" His words and thoughts were kept to himself however, and his more cheerful demeanor disappeared.

"Ah, this is your room, serah." Avianna cleared her throat, as they had reached their destination. The room was well suited to his needs, and he thanked her, shutting the door behind him.

Avi wandered back toward the gardens, where she knew her mother would be by this time of the morning. Lady Landra, one of Teyrna Eleanor's dear friends, was coming to stay with the Couslands for a few days, before departing back for her home. The visit was to help Eleanor with both her husband and her son leaving for war, a terrible thing for a mother and wife to deal with. Avianna tried to not think of what her mother would be left to do all day, as she had no part in the day-to-day running of Highever now. It would certainly be a large change for her. Pleasant chatter was making its way down the halls near the garden sitting area, along with the cheerful splash of the fountains. A soft laugh would ring out every now and again, followed by the ear-splitting, mirror-shattering cackle of Lady Landra. Avianna squeezed the bridge of her nose. Sweet Andraste's knickers. May she get through this without her head feeling like a ripe melon, all split open in the sun.

"Good morning Mother, Lady Landra." Avianna gave smiles to both women, polite nods to the third woman that she assumed was Landra's attendant, and the young man she recognized as Landra's son. "And good morning to you as well, Dairren."

Teyrna Eleanor gave her daughter a quick peck on the cheek. "Good morning my dear. I am pleased to see you! I had been meaning to catch you and tell you that I will be leaving with Landra to go stay with her for a while. You can run the castle just fine, and your father thinks I would be a threat to your authority if I was here. Besides, it would be a nice distraction." Eleanor's voice was soft and gentle, just like the curves and lines that life had barely worn into her face. Avianna was not completely surprised at her decision, but she would be terribly sad to see so much of her family gone. There would be almost no one left for her to spend time with, save for Oriana and Oren. And she wasn't as close with Oriana as she should be, but perhaps this was the chance she needed to get to know her sister in law a little better.

"That is fine, Mother…I understand, but I really hate to see you leave me." She bit the inside of her cheek, the meaty flesh giving way to her teeth in a painful way.

"Dairren, I am tired, perhaps I will retire to rest for now. I will see all of you at dinner tonight?" Lady Landra curtseyed and headed back into the castle. Avianna chuckled to herself, thinking that Landra was in a better condition than she was the last time they had met; the Lady had been completely drunk and had to be carted to the carriage by her son and husband, the lady in waiting trailing behind. That particular salon had been christened a complete success by all who had seen that less-than-graceful exit.

"And we will be in the study." Dairren answered back, turning sharply on his heel. "Iona, would you care to join me?" He turned to the lady in waiting, accepted her hand, and the pair made their way into the castle as well.

For a few long moments after the guests had walked off, Eleanor and Avianna sat by the fountain, just listening to the birds and the water, not saying anything. "Well…I assume you have already met the Grey Warden?" Eleanor's voice wavered slightly, and Avianna knew that her mother would know of her desire to know more, if not follow the Warden.

"I have. He…is interesting. The Grey Wardens have always fascinated me, and…if I were given the chance, I think I would like to go with him." The frankness of her statement was a bit of a shock to even Avi, as she typically wasn't this robust with her comments to her mother. Things were typically softer when it came to time with Eleanor. "I would just love to see the world and have some real adventure, you know?" She looked over at the Teyrna, an impish grin crossing the youthful face.

"I know, darling, but you need to stay here and take care of things at the castle for now. Maybe after your father and brother return we can discuss it further, but for now your place is here. Your father needs you, I need you, and the people of Highever need you. Surely you wouldn't leave them to run off after some dream of glory?" Eleanor sighed, brushing stray hair back from her daughter's face. She knew Avianna would make the right choice, but there would be sighs, eye rolls, and no end of dummies slashed in half before it was all said and done.

Avianna's shoulders sagged. "I know, Mother. I just want to think about it." She leaned her head over on her mother's shoulder and grinned at the kiss that was planted on her forehead. "Well, I need to get going. I have a dinner to get ready for, and so do you." With that, Avianna stood up, hugged her mother tightly, and made off for her bedroom.

A long afternoon, a warm bath, too much primping, and one pretty dress later, and Avianna emerged from her quarters. The tomboyish girl had been turned into a young woman of true esteem, the fiancé of an arl's son, and the daughter of a teyrn that was soon to take over ruling for her family. She ran her fingers over the dark blue fabric of her floor length dress, the gold braided belt that clung tightly to her waist and accompanying band that was sewn under the bust accenting her feminine form as many of her outfits did not. The satin slippers she wore were nowhere near as comfy as her leather boots, but tonight she was expected to be the pinnacle of ladylike. The soft curls that fell around her cheeks and tumbled down her shoulders all the way to the middle of her back certainly helped lend to that illusion. In truth, she liked getting to be ladylike and take part in feasts and dances, but not on nights like tonight, when the world teetered on the precipice of chance, waiting for the exhale that would send it careening one direction or the other.

With a deep breath, Avianna headed into her brother's room. Fergus would be leaving out before the meal started so as to catch up quickly with the rest of the army. The door across the hall from her room stood open, and Avi could hear quiet laughter and a boy's small voice emanating from within. It brought a smile to her lips. Why couldn't things just stand still, just for one hour longer and let this family enjoy more time together? No one knew what Fergus would face out in the wilds with the armies, and it wasn't fair that this little family unit had the torn apart like this. She leaned against the doorframe and watched them for a moment.

Oren, Fergus's son, danced around his father's feet. Are you really going off into war? And will you bring me back a sward?" His large brown eyes sparkled with delight.

"That's _sword_ Oren. And yes, there really will be a war. I'm going off to fight the darkspawn with the king and your Grandpapa." Fergus's voice was optimistic to keep his son's spirits up, but Avianna knew better. Her brother was worried about what was to come, as was everyone else.

"Will you teach me how to use a sword, Auntie?" Oren ran up to Avianna, hugging her leg tightly. The boy was so small that a large dagger could easily pass for a sword in his hands. Avianna chuckled and knelt down to his level.

"Of course! Let's go, right now!" She ruffled his hair playfully.

The cry of happiness that erupted from Oren filled the room. "Yay! Take that, dire bunnies! Fear my sword of truthiness! Are you going to teach me to slay dragons too?" He danced around the room, arms flailing wildly as he fought off whatever imaginary creatures he was conjuring up in his head. It made the two siblings smile.

A small gasp of disbelief came from the elegant woman that stood by Fergus. Her eyes were wide in shock and despair. "No, no! I shall not allow it!" Oriana, Fergus's pretty wife, was an Antivan woman that was a little too delicate for the Fereldan landscape. She was like a tiny buttercup that could so easily be torn apart by a gust of the breeze, and just as brightly painted and adorned. It irked Avianna, but she never said anything about it…at least not to anyone that would repeat it in or near Oriana's presence. She didn't want to hurt her sister-in-law's feelings, but the two certainly did not get along.

Avianna rolled her eyes and stood up, her brother scooping up his son in his arms. "Don't worry son. You will see a real sword close up very soon, I promise."

"And once he does, he will never want to stop training with it. You were the same way, Fergus." Eleanor walked into the room on her husband's arm. She hurried over to her son and gathered him in close for a kiss. Fergus smiled at the gesture.

"You know, I am a grown man, but I will never get tired of that."

"And you never should. I still wish my own mother was around to give me kisses before I leave on wild adventures." Bryce said.

Avianna glanced around the room. The march they were going on would be cold, and she hoped that they would feel as warm as she did that very second, seeing them all gathered together once more before the trip.

"Now, none of you worry. I will be fine. There won't be any darkspawn for any of the Grey Wardens to handle once I get there, and Father won't have anything at all to do once I get done with everything!" The way Fergus boasted about his prowess eased Avi's mind a little, but she still knew the danger. "Am I right, Avi?" He motioned for his sister to come over, and he drew her in for a tight hug.

"Of course!" She grinned, trying to fight back tears that were warming at the corners of her eyes. She had to be the strong one. Avianna always had to be the strong one.

"Maker protect you both…" Oriana murmured, clasping her hands together. Eleanor nodded in agreement.

"Well, I must be off, and you all have a dinner to attend. Please try to behave while I'm gone, will you Oren. Be good for your Mama. Have your Auntie teach you everything she can when your Mama isn't looking." Fergus winked at Avianna. "Mother, have a pleasant visit with Lady Landra, and try not to worry too much?" He shook his head. They all knew she would spend every evening in the chapel at prayers.

"I will do my very best, dear son…but until you are home again, there are no promises." Eleanor laughed through wet eyes.

"Avi….take care of them all for me. You know what I would do if I were here, and I trust you explicitly." He kissed Avianna on top of the head and hugged her tight. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like a few minutes alone with my wife." He laughed heartily and the group withdrew from the room, letting the couple have time to themselves. Oren tagged along, clutching Avianna's hand and babbling away about his day and all the frogs he had caught in the pond, and something about one he had released in Nan's (the cook) room. Avianna grinned. It sounded like some of the things she did to terrorize Nan when she was little, too. As they were walking along, the scratch and thud of a massive beast came thundering up behind them in the hallway. Oren and Avi turned just in time to see Fang, Avianna's mabari war hound come trotting up from her room. He wanted to come join her for dinner, and he knew, not from the smells coming from the kitchen and hall, but from the way that Avianna and her family were dressed, that there was a special party going on. Usually, Fang wasn't allowed to attend such things, as mabari were considered fierce, and people were frightened by them, but Fang was a part of the family, and Avi would not let him be left behind. She had raised him from a pup, with no end of help from proper trainers, and he had grown into the proper – yet goofy – hound for guarding his mistress.

Oren threw his arms around the dog's neck, and Avi scratched behind Fang's ears. She was glad to have such company with her this evening, as it was going to be both emotional and dull, all at once. The group moved on, Fang pacing along at his mistress's side. With a deep breath, Avianna stepped into the hall, trying to not think ahead to the night of faking smiles, pretending she was fine, claiming that running the castle was all well and good with her, and that seeing her father and brother off, and soon her mother as well, was not twisting her inside apart. Faking it all like at an Orlesian party, with all the masks and deceit that came along with it. Tonight was going to be fun.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

A scream echoed through her dreams, ricocheting through every corner and hall of her sleep. Avianna tossed and turned, frustration rising in her heart, her body reacting to it. But dreams were not the only thing causing her distress. A rumble at the foot of her bed was vibrating her entire leg all the way up to her knee, and Avi propped herself up on her elbow. She could hear some sort of commotion outside her door, and she felt Fang leap off the bed. His brindled hide caught the light of the fire as he paced back and forth before the door, the low growl growing deeper and more agitated. Avianna crawled out of bed, her bare feet prickling at the cold stones. There was something going on outside the door, and it wasn't good. She needed to get out there, but first she would need her blades.

"Fang…shhh…" Avianna pressed a finger to her lips, and the mabari quieted, but barely. With quiet steps, she stole over to her sword stand, took both blades, and set them on her bed. She was just pulling on a pair of pants and lacing them up when the door broke open with a thundering crack. Fang leap back, then forward at the first man that stepped through it. The snarl that came from his maw made the man jump back in surprise, knocking his companion behind him backward as well. Avi snapped her head up, grabbing her blades and charging out of her room. The two men were trying to keep away from Fang, and another came barreling at her, broadsword in hand. He swung wildly at her, and she furiously tried to block and counter the strikes. A quick stab of her blade, and she caught him in the wrist, then gave a sharp turn to shatter the bones. He shrieked in agony and anger, and drew back, using one arm to continue to attack. Avianna leapt up onto one of the chests by her door and catapulted herself toward the man, bringing her swords down in a devastating blow to the back of his neck. The sickening crunch that came with the fall made her gag, but she couldn't bring herself to pause. Fang was done with one of his 'chew toys', and squaring off with the other. They were jabbing at each other and didn't notice the door at the end of the family quarters opening. Eleanor, dressed in a suit of armor made to fit her delicate frame, was planted in the doorway, and her arrow was already aimed for the intruder's head. The man was dead the second her fingers loosed the arrow from the string. Fang and Avianna hurried over to Eleanor, and the two women checked each other to make sure they were still in good condition.

"I barred the door when I heard the commotion outside. I needed time to get ready before I headed back out there to see what was going on. What about you? You need to get some sort of chain on or something! You can't keep running around like that." Eleanor dragged Avianna into the teyrn's bedchambers, and quickly rooted around in a chest until she found a shirt of chain mail that would fit her daughter. She tossed it to her, and the girl quickly slipped it over her head.

"What do you think is going on? And where on earth is Father?" Avianna muttered, slipping back out the door, her swords firmly grasped in her hands. Fang had stood guard by the door while the two women were finishing their preparations.

"I don't know – he never came to bed, so I am assuming that he stayed up late with Howe. Oh no…you don't think…?" Eleanor paused, her hand flitting to her mouth as a terrible thought crossed her face.

"Yes I do. I think that Howe has double crossed us. Look at the shield! These are Howe's men, and they attack us in our sleep, in our very castle!" Avianna kicked over the shield of one of the men in the hall, the metal clattering over the cobblestone floor. "Wait…if Howe has attacked us, then…" Avianna looked up at her mother and back at the door to Fergus and Oriana's room. "Oriana and Oren!" She cried out, dashing toward the door. Her body froze as she slammed the door open, and the sight that she already knew would be there met her eyes.

Two bodies lay on the floor, one of a woman, doused in blood, her arms holding a tiny boy all crumpled in a ball. Avianna slumped against the doorframe, angry tears welling up and spilling down her cheeks. The scream that ripped from her throat was neither animal nor human, and it made even her mabari back away from her. Eleanor rushed past her into the room a half moment later, and her own wail joined that of her daughter's.

"No! What on earth is Howe thinking? He isn't taking hostages and he is killing completely innocent people…why on earth would he kill a child?!" She backed out of the chamber, wiping her eyes. "I can't see any more of this. Let's go find your father."

Hair was falling into her face, sticking to the tear-drenched cheeks and giving her the look of a Chasind Wild woman. Avi stood, gripping her swords even tighter. This would not end until Howe's blood painted the walls of Highever Castle. Without another word, she took off with her mother at her side, rage burning in her heart. The three raced down the hall, turning into the guest wing, only to meet another group of soldiers. Fang leapt forward again, leading the charge. The speed that Eleanor nocked her bow and fired was much faster than Avi knew her mother was capable of, but she paid her little attention. The Teyrna would handle her own fighting, and so would Avianna. The two women flung themselves into the fight, Avi slashing and dodging at the men, double blades singing as flesh met steel. Eleanor covered her daughter from behind, snapping arrows as fast as she could. The girl whipped around, stabbing one blade into a man's foot, bringing him to his knees, then shoving the other blade up through his chin and the top of his head. With a fierce tug, she ripped it from his body, then stood and hurled herself at the next opponent. The two exchanged blows, Avi parrying and striking, and Howe's knight striking back at her. She ducked under a too-high sword swing, and twirled into the man's body, slamming the blades back into his belly. He slumped against her shoulder, and she shrugged him off onto the floor. Eleanor hurried over to her daughter, fussing over her and checking to make sure that there were no wounds under the deluge of blood that covered her arm, back, and side. The door to the guest rooms were all flung open, and Avianna glanced over to the door on her right, where Landra had been quartered. She already knew what she was going to find in the room, but she couldn't help but go take a look to confirm the terrible truth. Sure enough, Landra, her son, and her lady-in-waiting were all dead on the floor. The blood that was pooled around them had stopped spreading, so she assumed they had been dead for some time, probably killed in a quick and silent attack long before her family had been attacked so as not to arouse suspicion. Eleanor wept when she saw her friend dead.

"Ah Landra! You would be alive if not for coming to visit me…" Eleanor turned from the room and headed back out of the hall. "Come on darling, we have to get out of here and keep going."

They had no more resistance as they left the guest quarters and headed out into an outer hall that lined the wall of the castle. The stars overhead were cold and showed little interest in their situation. There was more clamor that grew louder as they walked closer to the courtyard. Avianna slowed down, wiping her hair back from her face. She hadn't realized just how hard this was going to be, til she heard the roar of the fighting going on further in the castle. There truly was a battle for life and death at hand, and she wasn't sure they were even going to make it out of here alive.

"Listen." Eleanor placed a hand on Avianna's shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. "You can hear the fighting…Howe's men must be everywhere. I am guessing that Bryce must be at the gate in the main hall, so that's where we need to start heading."

"And look at what is around us! Those bastards have blocked most of the pathways – where are we going to go? You need to get out of here safely, Mother." Avianna snapped back at her. She wasn't trying to be smart with her mother, but the frustration at their situation wasn't helping her any.

Eleanor spun Avi around and placed both hands on her daughter's shoulders. "No. I am not leaving without your father. Besides, what do I have to worry about my safety for? My grandson is dead, and our lives are in danger. Ask me what I have to live for and there is nothing. Ask me what I have to _die _for, and I have plenty in mind for that. These dogs won't get away with this. Now, look at me." She cupper Avianna's chin in her hands and looked her dead in the eye. "No matter what, you must get out of this castle alive. There is a servant's exit in the kitchen larder, and that is where we must get you to. No matter what happens to me, no matter what happens to your father, you must make it out and see that you make it to your brother. You both are the surviving line of the Cousland family, and you must carry on the name. I fear that Howe already controls the castle, from the looks of things, and we are already doomed to lose it. We must not lose the only glimmer of hope for our family line, too."

Avianna's heart sunk deep into her belly when her mother spoke those words to her. She had already assumed such things, but she hadn't wanted to admit them to herself. "We will _all _get to the exit. I will make sure of that, Mother. I don't want to see anything happen to any of us." She tried to not think of the possibilities and just focus on getting out of the castle and into the night.

The pair hurried on down the hallway, yet another fight meeting them at the end of the hallway. A servant was clashing with the intruders. Avi dashed in, slinging her blades in wide arcs, steel meeting steel with a loud _clang_. She stepped and turned, slicing and stabbing, her anger and grief fueling the fury in her steps. It turned her into more of a warrior than she ever thought she could be. Her mother, in the meantime, fired off arrow after arrow, imbedding each into every target she aimed for. After they dispatched those men, they scrambled down past the library. Brother Aldous was stretched by the doorway, his white robes stained in varying shades of red, from cherry to deep russet brown. Avianna gagged, more tears running down her face, but she tried to forget the images. So much blood was weaving its way into the cracks and crevices of not only her home, but also in her memory that it was going to be impossible to scrub it away from either.

They made it into the hall, sliced and bruised and bloody, but alive. Ser Gilmore was shouting orders to various men, waving his hands and trying to get the main door blockaded. He looked worn, and there was a bloody gash on his forehead. The young man stopped bellowing at the knights for a moment to embrace Avianna.

"Thank the Maker. I was afraid you were dead!" He ran his hand through her hair and stared at her for a moment. "Where are Oren and Oriana?" He glanced behind her at the mistress of the castle, but her head fell, and his own countenance dropped as well. "Ah…I see. Look, you have got to get out of here. We aren't going to be able to hold the door long, and what time we can hold it is precious time you will need to get away."

"Come with us. We have already lost so much, I can't stand to see another friend gone too." Avianna placed her hand on his, knowing what brought this sudden bout of emotion from him. Ser Gilmore had always had strong feelings for her, but because of the vast difference in their status there was nothing and the fact she was already betrothed, there was little they could do about it. Besides, she saw him only as the friend she grew up with.

"You know I'm not coming with you, Avi. Please don't make this harder than it needs to be." He gently wiped at a patch of blood that was dripping down from a wound on her cheek.

She bit at her lip and choked back the plea that was rising in her throat. "Have you seen my father?"

"He went out the hall, toward the kitchen. I think he figured that you two would be there, waiting on him, or that he could get to you both from there. He wasn't in a good way though, so you might want to take some of the supplies that we have in here. We…won't need them." Ser Gilmore nodded toward a pile of rags, herbs, and bandages. Eleanor picked them up and stuffed them into a bag, slinging it over her shoulder. Avianna glanced toward her mother, and then back at him. "Don't worry about us. We will give you as much time as we can. Now, get out of here, and go live your life." He tilted his head and planted a salty kiss on her lips, then pushed her away toward the door, giving Eleanor a brief hug as well. The last sight Avianna had of her best friend from her entire childhood (besides her brother), was him staring back at her, a smile on his lips and a small wave, bidding her his last goodbye.

The two women scurried out the door, listening to the barrage of the oncoming forces trying to break down the door. It wouldn't last long, so they would have to hurry. Both of them hurried past the servant's quarters, where elves lay slain all over the hallway and in the rooms. This infuriated her even more, and it made Eleanor growl in rage. The elves had been treated fairly and were loyal to the family; they had done nothing to deserve such slaughter. An elf woman ran screaming past them, the sides of her face streaming with blood, hands clamped over where her ears used to be. One of the intruders came after her, a hunting knife brandished in hand. The look of surprise on his face was permanently set there when Eleanor set it there with an arrow between the eyes.

"Poor girl. She will be scarred permanently because of what that monster has done. Her ears are probably all gone." Eleanor shook her head at the ridiculousness of the situation.

Another group of men met them farther down the way, and the pair quickly dispatched them as well. They hurried on into the kitchen, where Nan, Avianna and Fergus's nanny-turned-cook, lay dead, surrounded by a few of her kitchen hands and some of Howe's men. Avi was impressed, but still saddened by the sight. Her gut twisted. The larder door was barely cracked open, and Eleanor pushed it open with her toe.

"Bryce!" Eleanor darted forward, dropping her bow beside the slumped body on the ground.

Avianna almost didn't recognize her father due to all the wounds and the blood that was covering the larder floor. She retched at it, but tried to hide the motion. Thankfully, both her parents were distracted. Without a word, she dropped to the ground beside her father, taking a look at the injuries that her father had sustained. They were deep, and still pouring blood. She grimaced and took out bandages and herbs from her mother's pouch, but her father placed his hand over hers.

"Don't, pup." He gave her a small smile, then turned his glace to his wife, who was shaking her head and crying about why would Howe do such a thing to them, and how on earth did Bryce get in such a state? "Howe and I were still having drinks in the main hall when the first attack came. I was, obviously, unarmed and unable to defend myself. I tried to come get you, but I only made it as far as the armory and treasury. I managed to get the family sword, but that was it." He gasped and grimaced against the pain, then continued. "I figured that you two would be smart enough to come here, and I planned on meeting you here when you came. I see that we are missing members of the family…but no matter. Pup…you must take your mother to safety. Get out of the castle and find your brother. Don't argue." His words came with a ragged breath now, and Avianna could barely keep from sobbing at his words.

"He's right. You need to get out of here." A deep voice boomed behind her. Avianna whirled around, whipping out her daggers and crouching in a defensive position over her family. Duncan held up both hands, sword in one, to show that he meant no harm. She lowered her blades, letting him come closer. "I see that you fought your way through the attackers. I am pleased to see that much, at least."

"Duncan, make sure they get out safely." Bryce wheezed, barely able to get that much out. Blood was sputtering from his lips, and Eleanor cradled his head in her lap, her face full of settled-in concern and grief. This night of horror was only getting worse for the family, and Avianna felt her sadness growing with every passing second.

"I will, but I must ask you this: I came here for a Warden recruit, and I must have one." He glanced at Avianna, and she stared from her parents to Duncan, not quite sure she fully grasped the situation.

"I understand." Bryce nodded. Eleanor did the same, a few tears welling over.

"Then come with me, ladies. We must be off at once…the door will not hold much longer." Duncan sheathed his blade and made for the exit door, giving them a moment of privacy to say goodbye.

"Darling, you go with Duncan. I am staying here with your father. I won't abandon him, and I am going to kill every bastard that comes through that door to buy you some more time. We started this family together and we are going out together, no matter what." Eleanor's eyes blazed with a fierce passion that Avianna had never seen before. It warmed her heart, but broke it all at the same time. She choked a sob, clasping her mother and father in her arms one last time, kissing them both and receiving their last kisses.

"We are proud of you, pup. Don't ever forget that. Here, take the sword…" Her father gasped, handing her the family blade. It had been in the Cousland line for over six generations, and there was no way she would let it fall into Howe's slimy fingers now.

Duncan beckoned for her to come on, grabbing her elbow and pulling her through the door. Avianna stopped, looking back at them one last time. How long would that vision haunt her dreams? No one would know, but she tried to not think about it as she slammed the door shut behind her, listening to the main hall door break with a resounding _crash _as they ran through the dark tunnel. About fifteen minutes later, they burst out of the underbrush, a good quarter mile from the castle. Both the Warden and the girl were wheezing from the run and all the fighting they had done, but they were still alive, and far enough away from the castle that no one would see them. For a brief moment, they paused to catch their breath, then took off again into the night, Duncan leading them into the inky black.

It was a full day and a half before she and Duncan made it to a farmhouse, and neither of them had slept since the attack. Avianna was sore, her cuts and scrapes had yet to be cleaned, and there was a long slice down her arm that needed stitching. She had bandaged it as best she could with what she had stashed in the bag, but it wasn't enough to do the trick. Duncan kept pressing her forward, and she complied, though her bare feet were being bloodied in the process. He glanced back at her, seeing her scarlet soles, knowing that she would need rest and time to heal, but that this was the time to toughen her up further for the long and grueling future ahead of her. The Warden felt a twinge in his heart for her though, and his expression softened a bit.

"Look. We are almost to shelter for the night, and they will give us what we need." He waited til she caught up to him before moving on.

There were several small children running around, dogs barking, a large barn looming in the back, and a short, chubbily happy woman coming toward them. She looked exactly as a Highever woman should, sturdy, tough, and able to handle anything that came her way, though the sight of an older man and a young woman covered in dried blood and bandages weren't exactly what she seemed to have planned on.

Duncan quickly explained who he was, flashed the Warden Commander insignia, and her eyes widened at it. Without further argument, she ushered them inside for the first warm meal they had had in what felt like ages. A warm bath, clean clothes, and a few hours later, Duncan and Avianna both headed out to the barn to get some rest. He had made a deal with the owner of the farm for two of the horses, giving him the gold chain that hung around his neck in trade for them, promising to send more when they reached Ostagar. The farm owner had agreed quickly to the deal. The barn was cool and quiet, save for the lowing of the cattle and the soft whickering of the horses. Up in the hayloft was where the pair were going to sleep, and so they began to bed down for the evening, until Duncan called her over to examine her arm.

"Let me get that patched up for you. And let me take a look at your feet as well. You'll be riding, but you might as well have them bandaged, since they were bleeding earlier from the rocks on the road." His gruff voice was kinder, and she smiled a bit, glad for some kindness in the darkest part of her life.

"Thank you…" She sat down on a hay bale by him, the soft linen shirt and breeches she'd been given comfortable against the scratchy hay. "Can…can you tell me anything about what is to come for me?" She tried to keep her mind off of what lay behind her and to think of only her future.

Duncan mixed up a poultice to add to her bandage, then took her arm, rolling up the sleeve. He glanced at her briefly. "This won't be comfortable." Without hesitation, but with a skilled hand, he began to stitch the laceration closed. Avianna grimaced, gritting her teeth to keep from crying out. "You will have to go through a ritual, a Joining, when we reach Ostagar. After that, you will be a full Grey Warden. From there, you will receive further orders. I cannot say what those will be, as I know nothing of the state of things for now." He puckered his lips, trying to keep the stitches from going crooked, lest the wound heal wrong. "You will train to further hone your skills, and to learn to survive in the wilderness on your own. Grey Wardens do not need others, and are often alone, so you will have to learn to be independent. It's not a pleasant job, but it is what it is. I know you can do it though, Avianna. Trust my judgement on this." He tied off the thread, cut it loose, and bandaged her up neatly, poultice packed tightly against the freshly sewn skin. "That should do it."

"Thank you…for this, and for thinking I can do all that. I'm not so sure of myself as you are." She brought her feet up to her lap, examining them carefully. They were raw, blistered, and cut to ribbons. A groan passed her lips as she looked at them. Avi had been used to tramping around in her boots, so going barefoot was not good for her poor little feet. Duncan even shook his head when he took one of her small feet in his hands and examined it.

"This…" He muttered, pointing at the ball of her foot. "Is not to happen ever again. From here on out, you make sure that you have our boots right next to you, and you get them on first, even if you are stark naked with nothing but boots on. You can run in your boots if you have to, but you can't run for long if you are barefoot."

For a long moment, Avianna just stared at him, unsure if he was being serious or not. She chuckled, and he gave her another rare smile. With that, he began to rub more of the poultice on her feet, wrapping them in more bandages and giving them a soft pat. She would be sore and unable to walk right for a while, but since they would be riding for at least ten days before they reached Ostagar, that would give her time to heal before her real trials began. She would need the chance to get back on her feet, literally.

After he was done patching her up, Duncan patted her shoulder and lay down on his pile of straw, covering up with the blanket and snoring almost immediately. Avianna, though exhausted, spent a fitful night tossing and turning, trying to run from the screaming, contorted men that chased her round and round through the maze of a castle she seemed to be stuck in. Bloated bodies filled the corners of every room, and screaming women darted up and down the halls. There were whispered words and mocking cries of children that dashed up and down stairwells, confusing her on which way to go to make it out of the castle and to freedom. The more she tried to escape the more lost she became, and the harder it was to figure out what was going on. Finally, a scream ripped from her throat, and Avianna bolted upright, sweat dripping from her forehead. Duncan was still snoring away, and Avi wiped at her face. She tried to shake the feeling that something was watching her, but the only thing that was staring at her tonight was the cold, pitiless moon.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Duncan roused her by tapping on the toe of her boot. Avianna stirred, her aching body still not used to sleeping on the hard ground, despite the exhaustion from the long last few days of travel. Fang was curled up beside her, the goofy pup having been a few hours behind them when they left the castle. He had caught up to them at the farm, his marvelous little nose catching their scent and tracking down his mistress without fail. His arrival had scared the woman of the farm, but she had let the mabari in without much fuss. Avianna got up, wrapping the edges of her warm cloak around her and rubbing the back of her hound's head. The fire had long since burned out, and Duncan only gave her a small bit of the bread to eat. There was only enough to last the rest of the day, and after that they would have to hunt for their food, as Fang had been doing, though he refused to share any of his catch with them. She was confident that they could do it, but it still would be more than she wanted to handle at the moment. It would be her first time to really go hunting. Her father and brother had done it for sport, and she had watched them come in, hogs and bear strapped to poles, carted in by servants, but she had had no desire to go and kill innocent animals. True, it was needed to survive, but it was the last thing on her mind to go and kill animals for sport. Now, however, was a totally different matter. Duncan had picked her up a bow along the way, and had been teaching her how to use it to hit targets both big and small. Her aim was improving, though not well enough to justify her switching to it for much more than the occasional use.

The air around them began to thaw out, and they packed up camp, heading back out into the wilderness again. Avi gripped her bow tight, watching the trees for signs of anything they could eat later that day, perhaps a turkey or some rabbit, maybe even a deer if they were truly lucky. It would be a huge carcass to leave behind, but some food was better than no food at all. Duncan was looking around as well, his eyes scanning back and forth. For a long while they kept quiet, leading their horses through the maze of the woods. Her thoughts turned to her brother. How would he feel when he knew that there was nothing left of his family, that no one saved them? How would he react when he discovered that no one saved poor Oren, that Oriana died in a weeping heap upon their bedroom floor? A tear slipped down her cheek, and another and another, til her whole face was covered in the salty dew. She stopped sniffling and let the rage just run through her veins when she was glancing around, trying to lose the sights that kept filling her mind. But, it was hard to let go of the things that kept occupying her dreams. She could almost hear the screams of the people still dying, eyes open in death, some with limbs still twitching. Then, a different sound reached through the muddle of her imagination, and she started. With the instinct of someone who was trying to avoid death, she whipped her bow up, arrow and all, and aimed toward the sound. The arrow was let free and, though it did not go right through the middle of the turkey, it did pierce the bird from breast to hindquarters. Duncan stopped, staring from her to the gobbler, then back again. He chuckled, then gently tipped her head back.

"Please don't tell me this weeping is for making your first kill?" His face was full of compassion, and a father's understanding. Despite being a man who had no family, Duncan was kind hearted and good to those around him. "Come now. You need to go get your prize before something else does." Avianna nodded and tucked her bow over her shoulder, wiping at her face. She was better than this, and she could be stronger than this. There would be much more for her to face coming up, and she needed to be courageous.

The turkey was limp, the place where the arrow went in dribbling with blood. Fang padded around it, trying to nuzzle his way into getting a bite of the fresh bird, but Avianna would not share with him this time. After all, payback was a bitch, wasn't it? The thought made her chuckle a bit. With that in mind, she playfully pushed her war hound away and grabbed the turkey, the disappointed Fang trotting behind her. She carted it back over to Duncan, and he tied it to his horse, a wide grin on his face.

"You did well for your first hunt, though I will say it was far from conventional. We will have to do something about that. There is much more sneaking involved, and quite a bit of watching and waiting to see if the right prey comes around. But, I have no doubt you will catch on quickly enough." He nodded at her horse, and mounted his own. "Let's be off now, and at least get a little bit more ground covered. We will get this Tom cooked in an hour or so."

Later on, after he had shown her how to field dress that rather small turkey, they had eaten their fill, and had already begun to move on once more, Duncan pulled his horse up beside her, taking a long look at her. She was a pretty girl, one who surely had a bright future all laid out for her. "Well." He stated. "We have a long way to go, and I know that you need to talk about what happened. Might as well tell me about your family and about yourself. I like to know my fellow Wardens." The sideways glace he gave her didn't help her slight unease at the sudden interest in her past. What was gone was gone.

"Well…you know of my father and who he was. I am his youngest child, and was betrothed to Arl Howe's eldest son, Thomas. It was…purely political." She felt guilty, yet at the same time, it felt freeing to think that she was no longer shackled to a man she barely knew. "As you can tell, that will no longer be happening. I am honestly quite relieved. I didn't know Thomas, so I never really wanted to see it happen anyway. Duty to your station, when it's chosen for you is truly nothing more than slavery."

"Is this, then, nothing more than such slavery?" Duncan asked.

Avianna paused. "No…I actually wanted to try for the position of a Warden. I have always loved the tales I'd heard of you, but I had no idea there was so much more to them than I had been told. There was always this part of me that wanted to have a chance for adventure, a chance to really make my own name in the world. Fergus would inherit the Teyrnir and I would be married off to a man and just be his wife, having babies and taking care of the house and watching over things when he was gone. That wasn't the life I wanted." She sighed, trying to not think of what her freedom had cost her. "Not that I wanted it this way either. I just wanted a chance to get to see the world, to carve out a name for myself with my family around to be proud of me. Is that really so much to ask for?"

Duncan shook his head. "Normally, no. But, this was one of those occasions where life pushed you into the arms of fate, and you had no choice but to do what was asked of you. I'm sorry I had to be so brazen in my request of your family, but I needed a Warden, and Ser Gilmore had to stand guard. There was no one left, and my time is spent. This trip back to Ostagar is going to take too much time as it is."

Avianna nodded, her heart filled with pangs of guilt over Ser Gilmore. She had tried to avoid thinking about him since that night, but, along with her family, he needed to stay buried as well. They would never receive a proper burial, their bones would all lie in the castle, decorating the floor until the day that someone else took over the lands, or Fergus could go and reclaim what was rightfully his. She prayed it would not be long before that day came.

"Let's see…what else…I wasn't supposed to learn how to use the double daggers, but my brother began teaching me when I was big enough to hold them, and when he began to learn how to use a broadsword, he made sure that another teacher came in and taught me what I needed to know. Beyond that, I have no other training. Not in weaponry, anyway. Obviously I am skilled in what all proper ladies should know, but I doubt that is of any use to a Grey Warden." Avianna chuckled. She highly doubted that dancing or sewing was a skill Wardens used very often.

"Now, don't put down any skills you have learned. Anything you know is better than knowing nothing at all. What if I needed you to infiltrate an Orlesian town, and earn a place in one of the courtesan's homes? You might have to become a bard, and having the talent in singing and classic songs would give you a marvelous edge. Or, being a private tutor to a Fereldan arl's children in a time when some spying needs to be done is also something to not take lightly. So, do not think that just because you were raised a lady that you do not have any marketable skills." Duncan winked at her. "Though we are going to have to round out those skills and turn you into a self-sufficient person. It will take some time, but we will get there."

Thus their discussions continued on, bantering back and forth, sometimes traveling on in easy silence for hours at a time. They passed towns and villages, hovels and farms. The pair made an unlikely duo, the grizzled gentleman and a fairy-tale princess, wandering along on a path that only they could see. Along the week and a half trip, they grew a bit closer, Avianna able to share more with him about her memories and Duncan teaching her how to build a fire, set up shelters, hunt, improved her archery, and how to tell what plants were safe to eat. It was taking time, but she was doing better. She nearly killed them a few times, what with getting some wrong mushrooms, but Duncan caught it just in time before she set them by the fire to roast. The girl was becoming a better shot, and was getting proficient at hitting the small rabbits that darted here and there among the thickets. It pleased her to be so able at something new, though she was concerned about being able to make it in a real fight. Duncan would only laugh when she told him such things. He knew she would be able to handle it after her first real taste of a war. Most everyone did.

Ostagar was nothing more than the ruins of a massive fortress. The crumbling bones of a once-proud Tevinter stronghold, it was imposing, and could be seen for miles around. Avianna squeaked in excitement, standing up in her stirrups when she first spotted it. Duncan started, not quite sure what to make of the sudden sound, or the change in his companion's mood. She had been rather quiet the last few hours, so the noise was unexpected. Even Fang cocked his head to the side, looking at her quizzically.

"I never could have imagined Ostagar was so big!" She squealed. Her voice was several octaves higher than it normally was. She had read quite a bit about it in her studies, as the history of the Tevinter and the Chasind both interested her. This was as far south as the Tevinter Imperium had reached, and was the last stronghold against the Chasind, and had once been sacked by them, but it had long since been abandoned. This was truly a place she had wanted to see for some time.

"Yes, it is truly an impressive sight. I doubt you will find it so impressive when you have to defend it, however. It's a lot of land to cover and protect, but the purpose behind it is truly worth it. Let us hope that we can truly get whatever is going on here handled, however." Duncan's voice was filled with trepidation, and Avi was unclear what he truly meant by his words. It was as if this could not easily be solved. She thought about it for a while, settling herself back in the saddle and letting herself enjoy the last bit of a calm ride. Maker knew it would be the last time she would have a peaceful moment for who knew how long.

It took them nearly an hour and a half to get to the camp, and even then they still had quite a ways to go to get to the camp that was set up for the Grey Wardens and the King's personal officials and tent. There were armorers and various worksmiths scattered about, as well as cooks and all sorts of other people meant to handle the day to day life needs of the army. The armies were all encamped past the bridge, where the battles were apparently taking place. A well-worn road led the three of them right of up to the bridge, where the two dismounted, a happy Fang prancing around their feet. Avi gently played with his ear, then glanced around. To her surprise, a gangly boy came running up to them, his eyes wide at the sight of Duncan. He held out his hand for the horses' bridles, and offered to take them on up ahead for them. Duncan nodded, then motioned for Avianna to do the same. She handed the boy her horse's bridle, then idly wondered, as she watched him lead the horses off down the bridge, if she would ride that particular horse ever again, or if she would be given a new one.

Meanwhile, as she was so preoccupied, she didn't happen to notice that an impressively clad visitor was making his way toward them. Duncan's attention was captured by the man, and he turned to greet the young man with a crisp bow. Avianna turned in time to see King Cailan grasp Duncan by the hand, grasping his arm in an informal gesture that suggested the two men were good friends. The smile that spread across Cailan's face was as bright as the gold plated armor that he wore.

"King Cailan! I didn't expect a-" Duncan began, his words cut off by the King's own voice.

"A royal welcome? I was beginning to worry you weren't going to show up and that you would miss out on all the fun. I had ordered my men to let me know the minute you were spotted with the new recruit, so I could greet you myself." He looked all too eager to be back at the fight, and it made Avi wonder just how much he was thinking about the consequences of the battle, rather than the glory of it.

"And this must be your new recruit." He turned his attention to Avianna, and she promptly curtseyed, her eyes lowered. It was difficult to think she looked very graceful in the breeches and loose tunic she wore, but it was all she had, and it would have to suffice for now. When she glanced back up, both men were chuckling quietly. "No need for that now. You are a Warden, and of high esteem. Though I know who you are, my lady. You have been to court several times before I believe…you are Bryce's youngest, are you not? I don't believe we have actually met." He took her hand and pressed the knuckles to his lips, as a gentleman would. She smiled, though she knew it was a mere formality by now, and one that the daughter of someone in her fragile political state might not enjoy much longer.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I am Avianna. I have some important news to bring to you though. May I spare a minute of your time?" He must have seen the urgency in her eyes, because he dropped her hand and looked at her with a furrowed brow.

"Of course. What is it?" Cailan asked.

"My entire family, save for Fergus, has been slaughtered by Arl Howe. He had his men slay them all while we slept, and I would not have escaped had it not been for Duncan." She glanced at the Warden, thankfulness in her heart.

"Do not underestimate your own skill. You are the one who got yourself as far as you did. But, what the girl speaks is truth. Arl Howe has shown himself to be a traitor and has overtaken Highever Castle. If we had not escaped, he would have killed us as well and told you any story he wished. It would have been most unfortunate." Duncan spoke softly, but with a firmness in his voice that suggested the true authority of the Commander of the Grey, a rumble in his tone that she hadn't heard before.

Cailan wandered off, shaking his head and placing his chin in his hand, arm folded across his chest. He paced back and forth for a moment, thoughts obviously roiling around in his head. "I can hardly believe this! How could he ever believe he could get away with such treachery? This is beyond the pale and will not be tolerated! As soon as we are done here, I will take the army north and bring Howe to justice." He turned to glance at Avianna, her eyes burning with anger and pain. "You have my word. I know you want to see your brother and give him this news now, but he and his men are scouting deep in the Wilds, and won't be able to be reached until the battle is over. I'm sorry, my lady."

"Is there nothing at all that can be done to reach him? I can go myself, if I must!" She felt like begging, if it took it, but she knew, deep down, that there would be no budging on the subject.

"No, Avianna, I am sorry. You must stay here and start your training. I'm sorry, but you will be reunited with your brother soon enough." Cailan placed a hand on her shoulder in a kind way, trying to reassure her. "Now, I'm sorry to cut this short with you, but I must return to my duties. Loghain is waiting to further bore me with more strategies." He rolled his eyes, like a boy at his most disliked schoolwork.

"Do not forget, King Cailan, that your uncle will be here with the Redcliffe forces in less than a week. You may want to remind Loghain of that as well." Duncan added.

"Of course, but I believe that Eamon only wants to join in on the glory. We have already won three battles against the darkspawn, and I see no reason why the next one should be no different." Cailan looked a bit too proud of this fact.

Duncan shook his head. "Your Majesty, I'm not certain that the Blight can be ended as quickly as you might wish." His words held a secret, as if there was more to the Blight than he was willing to share. It worried Avi, but she would have to ask at a later date. This was no place for her to speak up.

"I'm not even sure this is a true Blight. There has been no sign of an archdemon, though there has been plenty of darkspawn. Maybe it's just an influx of the nasty creatures from the Deep Roads?" Cailan said.

"You seem disappointed, Your Majesty…" Avianna spoke.

"I'd hoped for a war like in the tales, where the king is riding in with the fabled Grey Wardens against one of the old tainted gods! But I suppose this will have to do." Cailan chuckled and clapped Duncan on the shoulder. Avianna felt disgusted by his words. As much as she admired Cailan, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Could he not be happy with saving the land as it was? She snapped to as he spoke again. "I must be off before Loghain sends out a search party for me. Farewell Duncan, Lady Avianna. I will see you both soon!" He nodded at them, then turned and headed down the bridge toward the encampment, his guards following him.

Duncan and Avianna stood there for a moment, silent, watching the king walk away. When he was out of range, they glanced at each other. Duncan looked weary, and a bit frustrated.

"Apparently, what the king said it true. They have indeed won several battles against the darkspawn here." He motioned for them to walk down the bridge together, and on toward their camp. She turned and walked with him.

"You don't sound very reassured about the situation, and if you will pardon me, I didn't think he seemed to take the darkspawn seriously at all. I know he wants to defend the land, but it seems that he wants more glory than anything." Avianna said.

"Despite the victories, the darkspawn appear to have grown in number, and from what I can tell, they appear to outnumber us. That is what concerns me. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is an archdemon behind this, but I cannot ask the king to act just on my gut feelings." The bridge was broken out in places, and Avianna looked out, seeing the battlefield below, the mountains far beyond. Duncan glanced at neither of them as he spoke.

"It's a shame that he would not listen to you. He seems to hold you in high regard. Maybe that would help in getting him to see what worries you on the point of the archdemon?" She said, trying to be of help.

"He does, but it doesn't help the situation enough. The numbers of the Grey Wardens are few here in Fereldan, and we have to depend on Teyrn Loghain to make up the difference. I am not fond of those odds, but it's the best we can do." They had made it across the bridge, and she and Duncan paused, Fang sitting beside her. "Due to this, we need to see to it that the Joining ritual is begun without much further delay. You will need supplies, and I suggest you look to that tonight. After that, seek me out and we will discuss the Joining and what all that entails." Duncan scratched Fang's head.. "I will take Fang with me, so that you have time to go and run your errands. There will be other mabari in camp, so having him in one place will give him time to get used to the chaos and the scents in the camp."

"That is fine with me." Avianna nodded. "Though, a hot meal would be wonderful before we do any of that." Her belly was rumbling and she was more than ready for something to eat.

The Warden chuckled. "I agree with you. There are several places where you can find something to eat, so go right ahead. There are two other recruits here already in the camp that I sent ahead when I found them, so you may see them when you are getting your things together. They will not appear as the other fighters do. Stay within camp. There is one more thing; there is another Warden in camp: a young man named Alistair, a little older than you, tall, with blonde hair. Seek him out and let him know I am here. I would do it, but I have some other things I must attend to first."

"All right, Duncan… Thank you for taking care of Fang, and I will see to it that your message is delivered." Avi nodded and glanced around camp, taking in the various locations of things. Duncan patted her gently on the shoulder and gave her a small smile, then took off for the tent that was bearing the Grey Warden banner. She was now on her own.

It was a massive grounds for the encampment, and after Duncan walked off, Avi just stood there, staring at everything, feeling lost and very much alone. But, she let the feeling drip through her veins, rolling from her head down through her fingertips like rain off the skin, squared her shoulders, and began to meander through camp. There were dogs barking, hammers ringing against steel, and people chattering all over the place. She even thought she could hear the sound of mages plying their craft somewhere nearby. As she was ambling by, a kind, older woman in mage robes waved at her, causing Avianna to stop and smile at her.

"Hello dear. What is such a young thing like you doing in a place like this? You don't look like a mage, so you aren't here for that…and you aren't clothed like a warrior. You aren't one of the girls of the camp either, as I have had the misfortune of seeing them wander and try to seduce the men all too often. So, you must be one of the Warden recruits. I am Wynne, and it's a pleasure to meet you." She bowed her head.

It was shocking to see how quickly she could deduce so much from so little, and in such a hurry. Wynne was very insightful, it seemed. "I am Avianna, and it's nice to meet you as well, Wynne. Are you one of the battle mages, or are you here as a healer?" She was studying the woman's clothing and staff, trying to figure out her place. Avi had very little experience with mages positions in battle, so she wasn't sure what would be expected of the older ones.

"I am here as both, to supply wards and to heal when I am needed. It's an honor to be able to serve the King, so I do what is asked. You must have been an amazing warrior of quite some prowess to catch Duncan's eye. He is not easily impressed." Wynne's voice was kind and soft. She didn't seem as mages had been made out to be, which was terrifying and cruel, demon-inviting creatures.

"If I am all that, then I suppose. I am just a normal girl that was brought into this situation under…difficult circumstances." Avi replied, her voice catching as she tried to find words to explain just what she was and why she was chosen. Honestly, she didn't feel all that special, but maybe Duncan really did think she was talented.

"Well, we are all here for difficult circumstances, and I am sorry you have had a difficult reason to make this choice. But, you are here now, and it's a better life than you could ever ask for, especially coming from what you could have been facing. Duncan will make sure you are well taken care of, I can at least assure you of that, dear." The smile that bloomed across Wynne's lips made Avianna's heart warm up and her feel a little less lonely.

"Thank you, Wynne…I needed that. It's been a long last few weeks, and I just don't know how I am going to make it, honestly. This is all so new and different, and at least it will keep me very busy, but after all that…I don't know. I am hoping that I won't be able to look back too much from here on out, but we will see." She was trying to convince herself, but it was going to be so hard to keep from looking back on the life that could have been, and all the things that should have been for her.

"I understand exactly what you mean. But, look at it this way: if the Maker wanted you in that life, you would still be there. I'm not saying that He made those things happen, but He has taken you from the situation you were in and placed you in a better one. Try not to focus on the things that could have ben, but look at all the things can have yet to be, and you will be so much happier." Wynne placed a hand on Avianna's cheek in a soothing way, just as a mother would. It made her smile. She was right, after all, and Avi would have to remember those words, though it wouldn't be easy to let go of all the memories.

"Thank you, again. But, I must be going. I have to get some dinner and find the armorer, as well as deliver a message." Avi was about to turn to go, when Wynne stopped her.

"Here! I have plenty of food here with me. I made a bit too much, and would happily share it with you, as long as you don't think an old mage is trying to poison you." Wynne chuckled and pointed to some various pots and the spit by the tent they were standing near. The two of them sat down, and Wynne handed Avi a bowl of warm stew. She accepted it gladly, and ate up, eager to be on her way to get the rest of her errands done.

"No need to rush. You might as well enjoy the meal. The armorer has been making more than enough to fit everyone, and has plenty of supplies. I'm sure you will find everything you need to fit yourself when you get there. Now, what about this message you have to deliver?" Wynne asked in between blowing on her food to cool it down.

"I need to find someone named Alistair?" The stew was so good that Avianna didn't want to slow down, but she was ready for another serving of it. It had been so long since she had had a real, honest to goodness meal of full portions and decent, rounded food types, that she was dying for more.

"Ah, him…he was skulking around up over that way, last I saw." Wynne pointed up to their right, toward a ramp that led off to more of the ruins. "He is a kind enough lad, but always so somber. I don't know what weighs him down so, but he doesn't like to smile much. He jokes and pokes fun at things to try and hide his discomfort at life, but I can see through that well enough. I feel that he's had a hard life too."

There she went again, pointing out things that were probably all too accurate for people's liking. Ah well…she probably wouldn't be getting to know this Alistair too well anyway, so what did it really matter? She nodded her thanks and finished off the last of her food, giving the bowl back to Wynne.

"Thank you, and I must be off now." She rose, and headed over to the armorer. The mage waved goodbye behind her, and the girl gave her a smile back. The clang of hammer against an anvil drew her attention back to the task at hand, however.

In a corner, near the ramp that led to her other task, stood the armorer and his forge and store. The girl tossed her wavy strawberry locks over her shoulder, twirling the ends of one strand impatiently between her fingers for a while. A balding man was shouting orders to some elves that were running hither and yon, looking pale and all too scared. It angered Avi, and she stared at him with a withering glance that froze him in place.

"What do you want, girl?" He stopped his work and watched her uneasily. "Weapons, armor, I have it all. Even to fit something as small as you." The way his eyes lingered on places they should not made her skin crawl, and she had to fight the urge to look away, though her cheeks could not hide the scarlet blaze that creeped up her face.

"For starters, I want you to treat your elves better. They are people just like you and I, and I know you wouldn't want to be treated as you treat them…" She spoke loud, annunciating her words with force, so that each one rang with power and a dark edge.

He scoffed, looking at her in a new light. "Yeah? And who is gonna make me do that, you?"

"Damn right I will. And the rest of the Wardens." She crossed her arms and stared at him, locking eyes with the now-sweating man.

He stopped looking so cocky, as if he were thinking about the situation. "I-I'm sorry miss. I didn't realize you were with them Wardens. I will do my best with them, yes. They just are lazy and don't get on things right away… But you were needing armor, I was told? Here, let me get right on that." The skeevy little man turned his back on her and began to pull out various pieces that would fit her, handing them to her so she could try them on. New boots, chain mail shirt, and leather vest and breeches that had iron guards sewn onto them. There were arm guards that attached to her upper and lower arms that tightened and loosened, also sewn together with iron guards to protect her better. She was well equipped as far as armor went, but she was still missing her weapons. When she mentioned that, the armorer grinned.

"Now those I can definitely help with." He headed to the back of his stand and began to dig around in weapon stands for a bit, asking about what style she liked to fight in, picking through different blades and trying to find the right swords for the job.

A few minutes later he emerged with two daggers, curved blades that she had never seen before. They would take some getting used to, but with time, she was sure that she could fight just as well, if not ten times better. Avianna twirled them around in her hands for a few minutes, striking at the targets and trying to get a feel for how they would flow. A smile came across her face, and she turned to nod at the man.

"These will do nicely." He was as pleased as she was, and with that, he gave her the scabbards for them that would hang at her hips, as well as a few other extra things she would need for her own camp and survival. The armorer was truly a master of supplies, and Avi was truly grateful for everything he provided her with, from her armor and weapons, to a set of spare clothes. He even gave her a small, hand carved bone comb.

"I have a daughter back home too, and I know she loves her trinkets. A girl always needs something to do her hair with, so please take this with you, miss." He winked at her, and Avianna thanked him again for all her new supplies. With that, she put everything in her bag, and headed up the ramp, ready for the next mission.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

A full belly was more than just a little comfort to the body. It brought solace to the mind as well, something that Avianna had been seeking for some time, but had yet to find on this trip into her new life. She felt warm and cozy, and with the pleasant thought of sleeping under more than her cloak tonight, she took off to find the other Warden in camp. Duncan acted like he wouldn't be too hard to spot, and Wynne had given her a good impression of where to find him, so it surely wouldn't be too difficult, right?

There were people everywhere, constant hustle and bustle, and she still felt lost in among the small crowd. It was ridiculous…how on earth would she be able to find one man among such a group? Avi paced up the ramp. The crowd thinned a bit, and she was grateful for a little less noise. Her peace was interrupted though when she heard to male voices squabbling to her right at the top of the ramp, hidden in a little alcove. The pillars seemed to be crumbling with the weight of their bickering. A mage, ridiculous feathered hat bobbing with each wild wave of his arms, was gesturing wildly and nearly shouting at a tall young man in common garb, his face covered in a goofy grin.

"I will not be harassed in such a manner! You know who I am, boy, and I demand to be treated with respect!" The mage kept on with his crazed actions. Avianna crossed her arms and leaned against one of the broken-down walls, amused by his antics.

"Yes, because I was harassing you by giving you a message. Would you prefer I had the Revered Mother send you a hand-written message, flown in on snow white doves for your grace?" The young man's eyes sparkled with delight as his sparring partner grew more and more frustrated.

"Whatever she desires is not of my concern. I am rather busy helping the King and the Grey Warden here and now, by the King's orders, if she MUST know. Your glibness will get you nowhere with me, you sniveling child!" An impertinent tone was more than noticeable in the mage's voice. He seemed rather full of himself, though why she would never know. He was of no special height, and not handsome at all. He'd have to be an astounding master of the mage world to be so cocky…either that or have…other…reasons to be so prideful.

"Aw…and here I thought we were getting along so well! It was turning out to be such a wonderful day, our prospects at being friends were so bright…I was even going to name one of my many children after you…of course, it would have been the grumpy one, you know!" The young man leaned forward and chuckled. His bright amber eyes flashed in the sun, and she couldn't help but notice all too well the impish look that was not contained at all. It made her grin at the hilarity of the situation.

"Bah! I am done with your foolishness. I will go see what she wants myself. The Wardens must be scraping the bottom of the barrel if they have the likes of you in their ranks." With that, he tipped his nose so high in the air that Avi was sure if it rained he would have drowned, and he turned to leave. As he brushed past her, he stopped and gave her a hard look. "You, my dear, could do so much better." He shook his finger in her face, then marched off down the ramp with all the pomp and circumstance he could muster. Avianna choked back both comment and a hearty laugh.

The young man shook his head and stepped over to Avi. "You know, that's the beautiful thing about the Blight. It really brings people together. It's like a party, we could all hold hands and dance together in a circle…that would give the darkspawn something to think about!" He rubbed the back of his head and looked a little more weary than amused, now. Surely it couldn't be fun having to deal with a crabby mage, but still, he had handled with some rather amusing taste.

"Honestly, I thought it was well done. Can't say I would have answered in quite that manner, but still…I like your style." She gave him the honor of a small smile.

"You don't look familiar. Oh dear, please tell me you aren't another mage that was sent here to torment me?" He feigned a look of agony, which won him another chuckle. It seemed as though the prospect of another mage would be absolute torment for him.

Without further thought, Avianna raised both hands, wiggled her fingers, and turned her head, eyes closed and nose scrunched. "Booooooo wooooo…. Turn into gooooooo…" She peeked one eye open and glanced at him. "Did it work?"

He stared at her, then cocked his head to one side. "No? But you did look funny doing it."

"Then I am no mage, sir. But the lack of robes and staff should have told you that right off." She shook her head. "Though I've always wondered why mages couldn't wear normal clothes and just pretend to be as normal as you and I. It would be easy enough for them to blend in to human society, wouldn't it?"

He didn't answer, just smiled at her. "You never know, I suppose. Mages can sneak up on you, like birthdays and dirty laundry and visits from people you don't like. Wait, I do know who you are…I'd heard that Duncan was bringing in a recruit from Highever, but we had been expecting a man. There were some whispers going around camp that things had changed and a girl was brought in with him, but I didn't believe it."

"And you must be Alistair. Are you surprised at having women in the Grey Wardens or something? I would think that wouldn't be so terrible, now would it?" Avi slowly walked around Alistair, sizing him up. He looked well trim, as if he'd been training for all his life, just like Gilmore had been. It made her wonder just what his life had been like.

His eyes followed her, and she couldn't quite tell is he was shocked by her motions or if he was just uninterested. Either way, he had a good mask to hide behind. She ran a finger along his shoulders, pleasantly shocked at just how much muscle and sinew ran beneath the cloth. "Wait, how did you know who I was? Did Duncan mention me to you already? Please tell me it was nothing bad…all those stories are made up dribble and can't be believed. Well…only half. Three-quarters. Ok, more like ninety-eight percent are true, but I was either forced or just a cohort."

Avi stopped back in front of him and lifted one eyebrow. "Only that much, huh? Sounds like you are one wild card." Honestly, he sounded like he was a fun person to be around.

"Yes, well…" He cleared his throat. "See anything you like there, ma'am?" He winked and continued on. "I never got your name, by the way."

She felt ashamed and her cheeks flamed up. "Sorry…I'm Avianna Cousland. It's a pleasure to meet you, Alistair. And yes…Cousland as in Bryce Cousland. There has been…some complications regarding my family. I needed somewhere to go, so here I am." She knew the answers would come flooding in, and she didn't really want to explain it all again to another stranger, not even one so handsome as this.

He looked a bit confused, as if the daughter of a teyrn should be somewhere else, not in the middle of a battlefield looking to join up with a faction of warriors. "I believe your brother, Fergus is here already and will be back soon. I'm sorry about whatever is going on with your family." He genuinely looked concerned at her troubles, and she merely nodded back in thanks. "By the way, in regards to your little comment on women in the Grey Wardens, there just _haven't_ been many. I have often wondered why that is."

"Would you want more of us in your ranks, ser?" Avianna made an hourglass shape in the air with her hands, smiling at him wickedly.

"I wouldn't mind it, to be honest, not that I am some sort of drooling leecher or something, please stop looking at me like that. Seriously, I think that women can fight almost as well as any man with blades, and some can fight better than men with arrows, they can be cunning and devious…you ladies are an entirely wasted resource! Anyway, we need to get back to Duncan and see if he is about ready for us to get going on the Joining ritual for the three of you recruits. Did you meet the other two yet? If not, don't worry, you will soon enough." He held out his arm for her to walk with him, and led her down the ramp.

It had begun to grow dark already, and there was a bonfire lit at the end of the camp, back where the Grey Warden camps were set up. Avianna could see a few figures gathered around it, but she could not make out details until the pair got closer. Duncan waved her closer. Two men turned to look at her, both giving her a good look over. They nodded at her politely.

"This is Avianna, the last recruit for the Joining. Avianna, this is Ser Jory and Daveth." Duncan introduced the three to each other. Both men merely nodded politely at Avi, then glanced back at Duncan. The Warden Commander turned to Alistair. "We can finally begin this Joining ritual, if you are all done riling up mages, Alistair?" His eyebrow raised, and the tone of his voice held a tiny hint of amusement, but more frustration than anything.

The young man feigned a look of horror and tried so hard to sound taken aback. "Why, I would never! But honestly, what can I say? The Revered Mother ambushed me…the way she wields guilt…man. They should put her in the army! I mean, can you imagine her nagging the darkspawn? She would have the Archdemon running for the hills with its tail between its legs in no time! Just picture the thought… Her Grace chasing an Archdemon, finger waggling the whole way!" Alistair waved his hand across the sky, a wide grin across his face.

Ser Jory and Daveth chuckled, and Duncan shook his head, pressing his fingers to his forehead. Avianna covered her smile with her hand, trying to hide the fact that she found it so funny.

"Oh, so she forced you to sass the mage, did she? Alistair, you know that right now we need all the cooperation we can get, and we don't need to give anyone any more ammunition against us." Duncan was weary of his young, new member's antics, but he was grateful for the boy. They needed each other.

Alistair looked a bit more contrite at Duncan's words. "You're right, Duncan. I'm sorry. I'll try to keep that in mind and do better." Avi wondered if he honestly meant it, but from his tone, it sounded as if he was genuine.

Duncan nodded, then turned back to the three new recruits. "All right. You will all be heading into the Korcari Wilds to fulfill two tasks. To make sure that you accomplish the first and to complete the second, Alistair will be accompanying you. The first is to obtain three vials of darkspawn blood, one is needed for each recruit."

"And the second task?" Avianna asked. The first sounded like a relatively unpleasant task, as she hadn't encountered darkspawn before, and gathering their blood was certainly not the first thing she wanted to do upon meeting said creatures.

"There is a Grey Warden outpost in the Wilds that was abandoned quite some time ago when the Wardens realized they could not maintain such a remote outpost. It was a shame to leave, but such things had to be done. It has recently come to our attention that when these Wardens left, so long ago, they left scrolls behind, treaties that would be of great use to us now. They are promises of support to us, and though they are only formalities, it would do some good to remind those who have forgotten their commitments to us. Be aware that the treaties will be sealed with a magical barrier, so the chest should remain intact. The outpost has already been marked down on the map for Alistair to lead you to, so your main concern is just getting there, getting the chest, and getting back with the full vials alive." Duncan seemed assured of the entire process, but Avianna could see only one small flaw in the plan.

"What if the scrolls are no longer there?" She piped up.

"Hopefully the seals have protected them against that, as only a Grey Warden could have broken the seals, but it is possible that the scrolls could have been broken or even destroyed. There is no way of knowing until you get there." Duncan looked a bit more concerned, but still unflappable under his stoic beard.

"I don't understand…why would the Wardens have left them behind if they were so valuable? Wouldn't it be better to just bring them with them?" Alistair asked, his face concerned.

"It was assumed that they would one day return. A great many things were assumed that have not held true, unfortunately. I am trying to right as many wrongs as I can, but it has taken some time. I can only do so much with my time as I am able. This is at least one things I can do." Somehow, Duncan looked weary, and his words sounded just as weary as he looked. Perhaps there was more to the story than any of them knew. "Watch over your charges, Alistair. Return quickly and safely, and may the Maker watch over you all." He handed Alistair a folded up piece of paper, shook his hand, and watched them walk off toward the gate, Fang sitting close at Duncan's heel.

Avi waved back at her mentor, rubbed her fingers over the leather on her blades, and tried to ignore the sense of dread she felt. She knew that there would be no immediate ambush waiting right outside the gate, and it was completely possible that they would see no darkspawn until they ended up finding the chest, but still…she was nervous. This was her first true test as a Grey Warden recruit.

The guards let them out of the gate, and as they stepped out onto the road, Alistair unfolded the map. He stared at it for a long moment, looking confused. Avianna stepped forward, watching as Alistair tried to make sense of the doodles on the map, no words for them to judge by, just marks where landmarks would be, and lines for roads. She recognized it as an older means of mapmaking that wasn't terribly common, but had been taught in one of her classes while she was growing up. She quietly reached around his arm, fingertips grasping the paper, and turned the map upside down, hoping it would help him a bit more, now that it was right side up. Alistair froze, and glanced over at her, a look of slight embarrassment and surprise on his face.

"Here…why don't you have a go at it then?" He handed her the old scrap of paper. She felt bad for making him look bad, but it wasn't intention.

"Fine…" Great. Now she was on the spot. She glanced down at the map in the evening light. "It looks like, to get to the outpost, we are going to need to head south toward the bridge, then head north once we go under that bridge." She pointed out the various spots on the map that they would need to hit. It was not going to be a quick journey, and could easily take them all night, maybe even into part of the next day. She had no food in her pack, but it wouldn't be the first day she had gone hungry, so she could manage, and she was pretty sure that the others had no other food supplies either.

"All right then. Let's get this party started then, shall we?" Alistair began to lead them through down the path, splitting off the path as they turned to head deeper into the Wilds itself. The sun set deeper and deeper behind the trees, and a chilling wind was sweeping over them. She drew her cloak out of her bag and clipped it to her shoulders. Ser Jory and Daveth were walking behind, keeping an eye out for anything that might sneak up on them from behind. There were distant, lonely howls that kept them glancing back and forth, looking for shining eyes in the growing gloom. They struck up torches to help them see their way, and Avianna stuck close to the men, grateful for the light and their presence. She was not quite ready to relinquish the need for stronger bodies in the middle of nowhere yet.

The dark still scared her, still struck a chord of fear into her heart. It wasn't the dark, necessarily that was what bothered her, but what crept around in it. The sinister night usually hid things that could do more than just bump and screech and crawl around.

A lonely howl cut through her distractions, slicing through to her very marrow. Frightened shivers traced down her spine as she gripped her daggers with trembling fingers.

"No need to worry about them, they are a ways off yet." Daveth piped up in a cheerful voice, patting Avianna on the shoulder. His attempt helped, but she still couldn't help but feel like the wolves were skulking along behind them on silent paws. She glanced behind them, hoping to avoid seeing the eyes she just knew that were out there.

The group made their way down the path, the spongey path squishing under their feet. The sickening squelch of water and mud underfoot was all they could hear in the gloom. Water was shimmering to their right and left, the edges of small ponds surrounded by the marsh and undergrowth. It was an unnerving splash that echoed behind them as they forged ahead. They all had to come closer together to make their way down the narrow path, but then they could spread father apart. Another sound, though, caught Avianna's attention, and she stopped in the middle of the road.

A moan came from the road up ahead, and a heavy figure crashed into Avi's frozen form. Ser Jory stumbled over her, trying to regain his footing. "Dammit, girl!"

She looked back at him apologetically, but couldn't do much other than trip and fall into the mud and muck. Avianna threw a glare as dirty as she now was back at the knight, and he could only shrug. Daveth chuckled and kept marching on. Ser Jory was at least kind enough to help her up, and they continued on toward the helpless sound. Something was at her feet, and she stopped to tentatively kick an arm out of her pathway. A gag rose from her throat. The only thing she could see in the torchlight was bodies casually thrown about among the reeds. There had been a battle here of decent size. Strange creatures were mixed among the human bodies, and Avianna grabbed the torch from Alistair so she could examine one of them closer.

The grey skin was dry and scaly, rough under her fingertips, despite being covered in a nauseating mixture of blood and wet earth. Large, razor blade fangs were situated where lips should be, but no lips were visible, only ragged skin and exposed bone. It gave a garish, frightening expression to their hideous, scarred faces. The blank eyes surely were lifeless even when life filled them. Stature-wise, they appeared to be bigger than a normal human, though a few were much, much shorter, about the size of a dwarf. Such strange, alien beings these were.

"Alistair, are these darkspawn?" She asked, wrinkling her nose at their foul stench. They reeked of rotting food and flesh, of an unknown substance that she couldn't quite identify, and the distasteful smell of ale that had been ripened for far too long.

"Yes. These disgusting creatures are what drag themselves out from the Deep Roads to attack us. This is what we try to keep the lands free from. Normally the Legion of the Dead keeps a good hold on the darkspawn, but sometimes there are some bands that get out, and we handle those fairly quickly. This, however, is far more than just a little band." Alistair stopped, tilting his head, then taking a few fast steps forward. "Dammit. I need some help over here!" He stooped down in the mud next to a body, his hands brushing over the torso.

Avianna stopped examining the darkspawn and followed the recruits over to their guide. The soldier that Alistair was working on was badly wounded. The man's eyes were pained, and he was bleeding from a deep wound in his leg and another gouge in his side. They were serious, but not bad enough that he couldn't get up and walk back to the camp with assistance. There was just no guarantee he would live once he got there. The three recruits stooped over the soldier, and Avianna reached into her pack, digging out bandages to wrap the gashes with.

A groan, and almost unintelligible words came from his lips, and Avianna barely caught them. "Are you…Grey Wardens?"

"Well now…not quite as dead as the others, or as you look, now are you? And we are indeed, unless you are ready to die, and we can give you some rather comedic last rights, my friend!" Alistair shook the soldier's shoulder, losing his smile when Avianna gave him a dirty look.

Avi was tending to the man as he spoke directly to Alistair, apparently recognizing him from the camp. "There wasn't much we could do…darkspawn just came up from the ground below us. I've got to get back to camp and let…let them know." His ragged breathing didn't inspire much faith in how far he could get on his own, but the group couldn't spare anyone, and they couldn't take him with them. He was defenseless here on his own, but he might as well try for the camp anyway.

They propped him up on his feet and pointed him toward the encampment, watching him stumble and swap off. "He's not going to make it, is he?" Avi spoke softly into the night breeze, not expecting an answer, and truthfully, not wanting one.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one who heard that. An entire patrol of trained, well-seasoned warriors were taken down by these darkspawn! What does that mean for just the four of us?" Ser Jory began to panic, his voice showing just how afraid he really was. Avianna stood up, staring at him closely. She wasn't anywhere near as afraid as he seemed to be, despite being scared of the way the darkspawn looked, but she was willing to do her duty. It seemed that her companion wasn't quite willing to do the same.

Alistair stepped forward, barely raising both hands. "Calm down, Ser Jory. I assure you, we will be fine if we are careful. You have nothing to fear." His voice was calm and cool, unlike the joking tone he had been using just a few moments before.

Ser Jory gestured angrily to the dead bodies lying around them. "These soldiers were careful, and look at where it got them! They were still overwhelmed! How many darkspawn can the four of us take down, really? Fifty, a hundred?" He glanced over at Avianna. "Maybe less? There is an entire bloody army in this damn forest, and you expect me to believe that we are going to be fine just sneaking around out here?"

With a frown, Avi catapulted forward. How dare he insinuate that she could fight less than he? With every bit of strength she could summon in her small frame, she slammed her palm across Ser Jory's face. "How DARE you?" She screeched. That likely got someone's attention, and more as like not, not just Ser Jory's. "I am not just some girl, I am not just anyone you can belittle. I have given up EVERYTHING just to be here, and it was not by choice. My parents are dead, and they died to save me, so the next time you go running your mouth, you COWARD, I suggest that you think about how you have not even proven yourself in battle. I have killed men in my own home, men who sat and slaughtered my own family before my very eyes, men that I trusted, that my family trusted. Can you say the same? Can any of you?" Her fingers were wrapped around his throat, and she had dragged him down to her eye level, her face red and eyes streaming with tears once more. The roar of her voice had turned to a choked whisper. "If you ever so much as dare to look in my direction with a disregarding look again, I swear I will give you the thrashing of your life. I was treated with respect, and I still will be, no matter what I am called now. No daughter of Teryn Cousland will ever be treated like she is nothing, no matter whom or what she may be in life, and I expect that from each of you." She glanced at all three men, her glare fierce and determined. They all looked astonished, taken aback that she was so brazen and fearless. Ser Jory nodded, and Avianna released him, turning away and wiping her eyes when she was sure they could not see her face.

Ser Jory looked shocked when he knew who she was, but he said nothing, rubbing his throat instead. Alistair gave him a dark look.

"Know this, all Grey Wardens can sense darkspawn. It's like…well, you will see once you have passed the Joining. It's definitely something to behold. Anyway, no matter what, they can't sneak up on us, and we won't run into the main hoarde out here. I can assure you of that. We will definitely meet up with stragglers, but no main army." He glanced over at Avianna, and she stared back, tilting her chin up defiantly. "And, might want to keep on how you treat Avianna. She's right. We all have given up a lot to get here, and treating her badly doesn't get you anywhere, except making enemies. Now, let's go, and don't forget, I can sense them, so we can outskirt any major danger."

Daveth chuckled, and Avi could hear him muttering with Ser Jory, who had dropped behind once more. "You see, ser knight, we might end up dying, but at least our guide will warn us first!" He seemed all too cheery about the prospect, and even Avianna had to choke back a chuckle at the notion.

"That's…reassuring?" Ser Jory obviously wasn't convinced at all.

The group continued on in silence. Daveth stopped, pausing to pick a flower. Avianna paused by him, curious to see why he was so interested in the white blossom.

"Look at this. It's something the kennel master had mentioned before I left. I'd been watching the mabari hounds, and he mentioned he needed more of this particular flower for the hounds. I figured I'd grab some while we were out here, since he can't leave." Daveth was a nice fellow, despite his past of being a thief and rogue. Avi picked a few blossoms for herself as well, making sure to remind herself to ask the kennel master what to do with them later. Fang might need them later on down the road.

All of a sudden, Alistair stopped. He motioned farther ahead toward what appeared to be a bend in the road. Water could be heard babbling around, but there was something else too, something that Avianna could barely hear. It was like…the barely-there sound of two sword edges being gently scraped together. The hiss was, she assumed, the sound of the darkspawn breathing. Alistair stared into the dark for a long moment before counting out ten on his fingers. All three recruits nodded, then unsheathed their weapons. They crouched down - all four moved into position to take the band by surprise.

With a roar, Alistair first stood up to charge the darkspawn, with his recruits close at heel. Daveth stood back a ways, firing rapidly with his bow. With his first shot he had already dropped one darkspawn, and a crow of victory came from his throat. In the meantime, however, Avianna was diving at her own target, using both blades to stab deep into his chest. The watery gurgle that it gave off was sickening, but the inky blood that oozed from her blades was far different from any she had seen before. It clung to the metal, no matter how hard she tried to fling it off. A shout from Ser Jory had her glance up, just in time to see a darkspawn charging at her, teeth bared in a vicious grin. The creature crashed into her shoulder, slamming her into the ground. She scrabbled for one of her blades, unable to reach either of them, as they had been scattered when she had fallen. A growl escaped her lips as she planted one foot in the dirt and thrust her hips up, shoving all her weight forward to try and throw the darkspawn off of her body. She kept her hands at its neck, trying to keep the gaping maw away from her face. The hip roll worked, and she was able to get away from it quick enough to grab one of her blades. The darkspawn came charging at her again, but this time, she was ready for it, and she stepped neatly out of its way, slicing the brute's head clean off. One more rushed at her, but it was an easier kill than it's brethren had been.

To her right, Alistair was shoving one darkspawn away with his shield and swinging his sword into the legs of another. The swipe clean took away the lower half of the monster's limbs, and left him vulnerable to his head being severed by the shield's sharp lower half. As the other darkspawn got it, it was immediately knocked back down again by an arrow straight through the forehead. Ser Jory had handled several more darkspawn, from the looks of things, and was running further up ahead.

"It looks like that was it." He came jogging back to the group. The poor fellow was covered in the nearly onyx goo, and Avianna was sure she was just as much of a mess as they were. She wiped at her face, and the wet smear on her hand confirmed her assumption. "I think I can see the outpost as well, so that's a good thing. It's not too far off, so we might want to get a move on."

Avianna paused, glancing at all the bodies around them. "I'm going to go ahead and get those vials filled now. I don't want to just wait and leave the task til later." She rifled through her bag, pulling out the three small glass jars. With a gentle toss to Jory and Daveth, she gave them their own vials to fill, then began to scrape some of the blood off the edge of her blade and into the bottle. It looked ominous in the vessel, just about how this task was beginning to feel. But, who was she to argue with years of tradition? She wiped the rest of the blood off on a piece of cloth from one of the darkspawn, then the group continued on the way.

It wasn't but a short trip up the hill before they were stopped again by Alistair, and he nodded toward the outpost. "There are more darkspawn up there, but we can handle them. It's looking to be about fifteen or so, so we can handle them. Just focus and don't lose your head."

They rallied themselves, drew their weapons, and charged the hill. The attack took the darkspawn by surprise, and the monsters came whooping down the hill toward them. Daveth once more took to using his bow, as he could make out several targets in the torchlight. The sun was beginning to come up, so that helped immensely. A massive darkspawn was standing toward the back of the group, swinging a club and laughing a guttural chuckle, but he did not advance toward them. Avi figured she would wait to do anything toward him til the others could help her, or til she had no other choice. With a quick motion, she ran up to one creature and sliced its head off with both blades. Stupid thing was too distracted with Daveth. Another one was rushing at her, mace drawn. She twirled on blade and met it on the field, their weapons clashing and ringing out, til she prevailed. The group fought on, til only the alpha was left. It stood much taller than the rest, and came roaring and stampeding right for them. Alistair went one way, Jory another, and Avianna managed to sneak around behind it. She leapt up, stabbing both daggers into its back, hanging on for dear life. Her plan had been to hold on to one and stab with the other, but it didn't look like that was going to work as well as she'd hoped. The alpha swung around wildly, trying to grab at her. Ser Jory and Alistair took the chance to both swing their blades for his knees, and try to take it down. Avianna saw, and leapt from the alpha's back, wrenching her blades free as she went. As soon as its feet where clipped from under it, Ser Jory rushed up and separated the head from the shoulders.

All four stood there for a long moment, taking deep breaths and trying to regain a little bit of energy after that fight. The carnage around them seemed to have no end, but it showed that they were not only victorious, but a capable team, despite their rocky start. Maybe there was something to this being a Grey Warden after all. Avianna began to laugh, and she was sure they would think her mad, but she couldn't help it. The weariness was getting to her.

Just up ahead stood what they had been pushing all night for…the Grey Warden outpost, in all its fallen, crumbling glory.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys, sorry for the delay in the chapter. Had a lot going on, but I finally got this up! Let me know what you think, feedback is appreciated!

Chapter Five

Avianna stared down at the empty chest, her shoulders drooped in defeat. No, there was no way this could even be possible. Duncan had been definite with his statement. The chest would still be protected by the seals, the documents would still be safe, and they could head back to the camp victorious. This…this was a mockery of all that had been established. Maybe they were hidden somewhere in the dirt around the box, maybe the bracken had overgrown the wood and splintered it this way? No…these were just the childish desperations of someone scrabbling for answers and reason.

She turned to look at her companions, who simply stared back, as if she might be able to conjure some sort of new plan.

"Oh this is just GREAT!" Alistair hollered, grabbing at his hair and stomping around the destruction. "There are no treaties here…what if there never were any at all, and this was just some wild goose chase?"

Daveth chuckled at the way their leader was behaving, but he piped up quickly, adding to his distress. "What if it's a much bigger conspiracy than you think ser? What if this wasn't a stronghold at all, and there weren't no Grey Wardens here to begin with?"

Alistair whipped his head around, amber eyes widening. She caught the barest hint of a smile at the corner of his lips, and Daveth gave him a wink that Ser Jory could not see.

"You know, you could be right! What if all those carvings and paintings, the stories and maps were all lies? What if it was all a huge conspiracy to make us think that the Grey Wardens had actually taken over lands that they really hadn't? Oh cruel Andraste!" He fell to his knees. "Why must you torment us so?" Alistair beat his chest with one hand, the other raised to the sky in a rather unconvincing (in her mind) plea for reason.

Avianna shook her head and sat back on her heels. She pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing as Ser Jory began to panic.

"Where does that leave us then? What if we are their test subjects, and they want us to reclaim this old tower for their glory? If this is that stupid Joining ritual… This is a cruel trick to play on your recruits, ser!" Jory stammered and shook a finger at Alistair. The young man broke out in peals of laughter, unable to contain the joke any longer. Daveth was no better, and he clapped Jory on the shoulder. Their laughter was short lived, however, when a new sight caused them to all jump back.

A large black wolf, deep purple shining off her fur, was sitting at the top of the steps, watching them. It was at least twice the size of a normal wolf, and looked even fiercer. There was something different about it though that Avi could not put her finger on. The creature stood up and began to make its way down the stone staircase. A gentle roll was the only way you could describe the movement, as it wasn't quite natural. The creature came closer, and the roll became more pronounced, deeper, and more grotesque. The very skin seemed to be shimmering and falling away in a thick cloud of purple smoke.

Avianna's breathe caught in her throat, and she stared at the roiling mist. Fear gripped at her, fear of the unknown and the inability to decide whether to strike this _thing_ down or let her curiosity see what was going to come of this being.

The smoke cleared and something – no, someone - stepped from its midst. The figure had perfectly set hips that would make any woman jealous, a small waist that angled up into an ample enough bosom that was scantily clad for such cold weather. Avianna noticed her companions could not seem to get their gaze any higher than that. She rolled her eyes. The figure had still more to offer though. Dark, wispy hair fluttered down from a tight bun around her russet eyes, which were trained on the foursome with a casual, yet sharp intensity.

"Well, well…what have we here?" The woman stepped closer, her ebony boots making no sound as she padded around the group. They huddled together and refused to take their eyes off of her. "Newcomers to my Wilds…curious indeed. Are you a vulture, scavenging among a corpse's bones that have long since been cleaned?" She paused, arms folded, staring at Daveth as she spoke then moving on to Ser Jory. She sized him up as she spoke again. "Or maybe you are merely an intruder, coming oh so foolishly into these darkspawn-filled Wilds of mine in search of easy prey and spoils. Foolish indeed, if you are the latter." She patted Ser Jory's cheek, then turned to walk away.

The curious female paused a few paces away and turned back to look at them. "Hm…what do you have to say for yourself then? You have entered my home, so speak."

Avianna glanced at her companions, then back at the other woman. Perhaps it would be best to be the mediator, despite their…obvious differences.

"I am neither, madam. Once upon a time, and to this day still, this tower belonged to the Grey Wardens." She tried to keep her voice from showing her intimidation at being face to face with something so unknown, but having to talk to a shape-shifter wasn't something she had been taught in her classes at the castle.

"Oh, really now? I would presume you have documentation to back that up?" A scoffing laugh came from the woman. She looked younger when she was smiling, even when it was in contempt. "As you can see," She raised her arms and rolled her hands toward the crumbled ruin. "Tis merely the remains of a tower, and really, tis a tower no longer. You should know one thing about the Wilds, and that is this: They claim back what is theirs, and this place is no exception. The land wants it back, and it will have it." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You have such purpose though…I have watched you all for some time, and what progress you have made. Where do they go, I wondered, and why are they here? You don't look like the other soldiers that have been here, which has certainly been enough to gain my curiosity, at the least. And here, at the end of your journey, I puzzle over what you are doing, disturbing ashes that no one has even dared to come near for so very long…why exactly is that, I wonder?" She tilted her head to the side quizzically. It was so comical that Avianna wanted to smile, but the feeling of impending doom leeched that feeling away in a quick hurry.

Alistair placed a hand on Avianna's shoulder, whispering in her ear. "Don't answer that. She looks Chasind, and where there is one, there can be more. I don't know about you, but I don't want to deal with them." Avianna glanced back at him and gave the barest hint of a nod.

The girl shook her head and waved one arm in the air. "Oh, you _brave_ soul! You fear that barbarians will swoop down upon you!" It was obvious that she still had some extraordinary senses, even as a human. There was no way that she could have heard that whisper otherwise.

Alistair cleared his throat uncomfortably, but he stared at her for a moment and muttered under his breath. "Yes…swooping is bad…" Avianna wondered just what experience he had with such swooping, but that story would definitely have to wait.

There was mumbling behind her, and all Avianna could catch was a few stray words, something about a witch, and toad, and cooking. Whatever it was, she could tell that it wasn't good. What had she learned about witches in her youth…all she could remember was that they were in the bedtime stories her mother had told her, that they were the villains, and that (in her later years) she had learned they generally were just apostates living out from under the rule of the Chantry. It didn't seem like it was so villainous to her, but it wasn't like she was in a good place to really help with the situation. It hurt her heart to know there were people out there suffering, but again, she had nothing she was able to do at the time. She didn't have a chance to focus on the talk behind her any more though, as she was startled right out of the conversation behind her into a brand new one with the girl once more.

"You…women do not frighten like these little boys. What they say I am and what I really am may or may not be different things. Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine." A finger pointed straight at Avi made her pause, but only for a moment. There was no reason for her to not be polite to this woman, no matter who she was and what her station in life. After all, that was what Avianna would want for herself, especially now.

"I am Avianna, pleased to meet you, my lady." Avi made a graceful curtsey. The men behind her stopped their noisy bickering at the sight of the recruit behaving so…ladylike. It was rather different from what they usually saw in their daily life.

"Ah, you see, boys? That is a fine, proper greeting! You could really take a lesson from that." She turned her attention back to Avianna. "You may call me Morrigan. We can converse like proper adults, not quibbling children! Now, I am guessing that you were here for something that the chest once held. Something that, unfortunately, is here no longer?"

"What?" Alistair shouted, pushing Avianna out of the way. She was caught by Daveth, but was more than a little upset by the fact Alistair was treating her like that. No recruit deserved to be rough-housed, and no lady should be either…not that she deserved special treatment, but still. "Here no longer? I knew it! You stole them, didn't you? You...you're some kind of sneaky…with-thief!"

_Ok…_ Avianna thought to herself. _I feel better after hearing THAT dumb statement. _Maybe being treated well by some goofball wasn't the greatest thing after all.

Morrigan crossed her arms once more, tapping her fingers on the pale skin of her upper arm. She certainly did _not_ look amused at his accusation, nor did she seem very appalled by it. It was as if it did not phase her one bit. If Avianna had been accused of witchcraft, it would crush her, but she imagined this was not the first time that Morrigan had had the name thrust upon her.

"Oh, how very eloquent indeed. Pray tell me, _ser_," Morrigan sneered. "How could I possibly steal from dead men, or men that are not even here?"

The two were now nearly nose to nose.

"Quite easily, it would seem…" Alistair growled back. "We need what was here. Those documents were important, and were Grey Warden property, and if you know what is best for you, I suggest you return them immediately."

Truly, watching the two of them stare down was hilarious, and Avianna could hear talk of coin behind her on who would win the fight. She personally didn't care, as long as the treaties where returned, but she had a feeling that the two would go on arguing til the world ended if they had a choice in the matter.

A laugh came from Morrigan. "I most certainly will not, for it was not I who removed them from this damned place. Invoke a name that means nothing to me, and nothing here any longer if you wish, badger and bluster about all you want, but I am certainly not threatened." She flippantly waved a hand in Alistair's face, and turned away from him.

"Wait, if you didn't remove them, Morrigan, who did?" Avianna stepped forward, trying to ease the tension between the two.

The shape-shifter rocked back and forth on her feet, tapping her chin with a thoughtful, sideways glance at Avi. "'Twas my mother, in fact."

"Is there any way you could take us to see her, Morrigan?" It was a bit desperate, especially since _one _of their company had been treating her rather impolitely, but it was worth the shot.

"Finally now, there is a sensible request, and again from the woman of the group. You boys would do well to listen to her and learn a thing or two! I like you, madam. We would have gotten along well, had we more time." The smile that graced Morrigan's face was genuine, and she actually seemed to mean what she said. It pleased Avianna to hear that, as she had had so few female companions growing up, and the elves tended to stay away from her, even though they were treated well. It had made for a lonely childhood. The mention of someone possibly liking her made for a bright, warm bloom in her chest that she couldn't help but wish would stay.

But, Alistair seemed to still be in a huffy mood. It quickly dampened any positive notion she had, as he piped up. "I'd be careful with all that. First it's 'I like you', then next thing you know – _zap_… frog time for you! Do you really want to be a frog? We can't recruit frogs into the Grey Wardens! At best we can just put you into the ponds and call you honorary members that keep the flies away!"

"Still holding to superstitions back there, I see. I won't be boiling you in a pot, young man." She pointed at Daveth, who immediately stopped whispering to Ser Jory, his entire face going white. "And as for you, I only turn people into toads when they really annoy me. Most of the time I just scare them into leaving me alone…toad casting is quite a bit of work, didn't you know that? Fine…follow me then, if it pleases you. If not, then I suppose you will have to leave the Wilds empty handed." And without another word, she turned on her heel and marched from the tower.

If it was at all possible for the Wilds to become any more disgusting and creepy than they already were, this was the place that would do it. Avianna stared up at the two-story hovel, its moldy thatch roof falling apart in places. There was a strong hint of lavender among the thick decaying stench of the swamp. The bushes responsible for the sweet, tangy scent were scattered around the cottage, helping to mask the odor of death that the Wilds was known for.

An old woman stood before the group, her eyes scanning each face carefully. It was hard to tell what she was thinking, but perhaps it was better not to know.

Morrigan waved her arm at them with the same animalistic ease that set Avianna on edge. "Hello mother dearest. Our…lovely guests here are Grey Wardens. They wish to speak to – " Her comment was cut short by the crone's slightly gravelly voice.

"I have eyes to see them with, girl. Well, this is a surprise indeed. It's been quite some time since I have had anyone of such importance here. Much as I expected, however." She paused in front of Avianna, playing with a strand of the light red hair. The action gave Avi the chills and reminded her a little too much of the way Morrigan acted.

Their leader stepped forward, his finger raised to the old woman's face. "Let me guess: you really think we are going to believe you were expecting us? Not likely."

She placed the back of her hand on his finger and brushed it aside, stepping close to him. "You are required to do nothing, young man, least of all believe anything. Whether one shuts one's eyes tight or opens one's eyes wide, it matters not. Either way, one is a fool."

There was a scared squeak from the back of the group, and Daveth cowered behind Ser Jory. The sight of the tall man ducked behind the knight irritated Avianna no end…was there truly no courage in these men? "She's a witch I tell you, just like that one!" He pointed at Morrigan, causing the accused to roll her eyes angrily. "We shouldn't even be talking to her! Do you know how dangerous this is?"

"Good god man, get ahold of yourself, or crawl back home to your damn mother." Avianna spat, her glare making him cower even more. She could understand being worried about meeting a witch, but showing your fear in front of one wasn't a good idea either.

Ser Jory peered over his shoulder at the man he was guarding. "Come now, if she's really a witch, do you want to be saying such things and making her mad? I don't think so."

A crooked grin spread across the woman's face. "Ah, now there is a smart lad. Sadly, who I am and what I am is irrelevant to the large scheme of things, but it is not I who decides how things are spun in this world, believe what you will." She turned back to glance at Avianna. "But what of you? Women tend to be more open in how they think on things. What does your woman's mind give you a different viewpoint on these things? Or do you believe as these boys do?" She gestured back toward the men.

For a moment, Avianna paused, trying to decide what exactly she did believe in all this mess. The woman did certainly look Chasind, as did Morrigan, without a doubt, but that didn't mean they were witches, or that they were evil, though the staff that Morrigan carried certainly gave the mage element away. Living in seclusion didn't mean anything either. "I'm not quite sure what to believe…there is much that we do not yet know, and we can't see our future, so there is no way of knowing who you can and cannot trust. You just have to hope for the best and pray that the Maker will guide you in the right path."

"Now that is a statement that is both wise and foolish. There is more implied there than you realize though." She turned, then glanced thoughtfully at the group, a stare that made Avianna shiver down to her very core. She felt as though her very soul had been looked at, touched, stroked by this woman's unfamiliar fingertips, though she hadn't even grazed her skin at all.

"Would you care to partake in a little…experiment?" The woman didn't even wait to get an answer. She snapped her fingers and five cards appeared, thin vaporous things that floated in the air above her. She spun them around so that they could see that both sides held no face, but were patterned with a strange dragon symbol. "Now, you can see there is nothing on them at all. I can tell nothing, and you can see nothing." She cackled a bit, then turned somber. "Pick one, and I can tell you this future you claim to have no knowledge of. It is possible to see what could be, though your paths can change. There are only so many roads you can travel, dear ones…only so many choices your lives can take. Pick a card and see what fate has in store for you."

The rotating cards held above the withered hand were both ever so innocent and just enough of a daring evil. What if the future you had wasn't a future you want? What if the roads that lay before you were both so fraught with darkness and despair that you couldn't handle it? All four members of the party gave each other sideways looks, trying to determine who would be the brave soul to take the first card.

With a quick dart of the hand, Daveth struck out first. "I'm not waiting to be last." He muttered.

Ser Jory took his next, then Alistair, and Avianna stared long and hard at her card before plucking it from the air above the woman's hand. She didn't know if she liked – or even believed – this idea of telling their future from some mystical card set. But, there was still one card left, and the woman handed it to Morrigan. The girl looked confused, frustrated even, to be playing such a game with their guests.

"You will do as I say, girl. There are reasons for such things, and you will not disobey me." The two gave each other dangerous looks, but Morrigan did not force the issue. She did flick the card a few times, sent a few sparks at it, and tried to see if she could do some sort of spell to reveal what it held, but nothing seemed to work.

"Now…time to see what these hold." She pointed at Daveth. "Step up. You have been a thief, and that won't change, though Death marks you. You won't escape her pretty gaze for long, and she will always haunt your steps." The card had slipped from his hands and was floating once more, one side melting away to reveal a lock with a skull, blood dripping from its eyes. The background shifted from red to black in an ever-changing shimmer. Daveth looked nervous. "Don't worry though…if things work in your favor, you could turn out to be quite the hero." The card changed once more to reveal a pair of crossed daggers on a field of white and gold, though there was still a hint of black around the edges. "Just watch that sense of pride, boy."

She ambled over to Ser Jory. "Yours is not as pleasant. There is not much good in your card either…though there is always darkness in everyone's future and few get the happily ever after. You will always have fear in your life. You will always doubt, you will always run, and you will never get to be the most famous of your peers." The card revealed a man who was slumped against a dark wall, tinged in yellow to show his cowardice. "Life will never be easy for your family due to how you behave, or rather, do not behave on the field of battle. But, if you can muster your courage and become the man you need to, you can turn into the highest ranking member of the Grey Wardens." The image morphed into the emblem of the Wardens, emblazoned onto Ser Jory's chest. Alistair groaned and Avi elbowed him in the ribs. Jory's face brightened into a smile at that thought, and she could tell he wanted to try to get the better outcome.

During these readings, Morrigan was furiously trying to turn her card to ash and cinder, but her attempts were only resulting in the card coming back, as bright and colorful as it was before. Morrigan was turning scarlet, and it made Avianna chuckle.

Alistair looked nervous, handing his card over to the woman. "Don't be so afraid, dear boy. Now…let's see. You have several outcomes, more than what is normal. You can wander alone, losing all that could be, all the good in your life that could possibly come, if another's path is lost. You would wander and become desolate, turning into a mockery of all that you stand for, and letting drink become your master. It would not be a pretty sight. Humorous indeed, but not pretty at all." The card showed a man that looked similar to Alistair, but so far drowned in drink that he was almost indiscernible. Droplets of red wine and amber ale dribbled down the card and foam bubbled up at the bottom til the picture was distorted and gone.

"But! That is not where your story ends." The woman piped up. "You could have another set of endings. "You could fall in love with a girl that is unique in her own way. But beware of love and the paths you choose, for love and war often do not go well hand in hand. Oh wait, yes they do…love is so much like war… Anyway, this girl can either help make you into the man you should become, or she can break you down, it all depends on how she feels for you." The card glowed bright red, and a heart appeared, then shattered into a million pieces, like a mirror being dropped on the ground. He looked shocked by this, but then composed himself.

"I don't have time for a girl! Besides, where am I going to meet anyone out on the battlefield?" He shrugged his shoulders and looked at the other men. Avi just rolled her eyes and wondered if he even realized that she and Morrigan were there. The look that Morrigan gave her told her that no, he seemed oblivious to their lovely traits.

"But, there is one last thing…you are set to take power, great power, but beware of treachery from within. There is always one waiting to take down someone who holds the key." The last image to show was nothing more than a key that slowly turned from bright gold to a deep green, as if poisoned by some tincture. It looked sickened, then melted away once more.

The woman cackled, then stared at Avianna. "Are you ready, child?" She held out her hand for the card. Avi held it to her chest, as if it was the last thing she had left from her home. What if this woman could see the past too? What would she think of this girl that had had it all, that had come from so much and had been tossed into so little? Would she think her a fool, a petty person, a child playing at war? Would she make jokes about her, or make false promises when there was no hope for anything anymore? There would be no beautiful wedding, no child at her feet, there was no more of that life for her now, and she would never have those dreams realized. Why should she even have her future read? All that was left now was the life of a soldier. Without a sound, she slowly handed it to her.

"This…is not what I expected." Avianna looked up. "You have three choices in your future child. The first is steeped in darkness and death. You will find a way to ease your aching soul and see those you miss so much, but at the cost of your own life. The sacrifice will mean others will live. It is a heavy burden to bear, but it is the most honorable thing." The card showed a crumpled body, blood pooled around it, the background black and despondent. "But that isn't where your paths end. You could have a chance to live, to find love, and to lose it. You could live on and become the leader of a powerful force, a chance to make your fallen ancestors proud." This time, the card showed her with the emblem of the Wardens on her chest, and she and Ser Jory looked at each other with confused expressions. "But there is one more option for you to take. You could keep your love and your life, and become greater still…how great, no one knows. Only one way to discover that one, and that is to find your love and keep him." The Card filled with red, just as Alistair's had, though the heart held multiple fractures. The woman pointed at them. "That can't be fixed or mended…you will find love, but he will have to help put you back together, because you will go through so much trauma and hardship in your life, little one. You are not made for this, and you are going to be just a queen of broken hearts, I'm afraid."

Avianna nodded, her heart burning and aching all at once. It was a lot of information to take in, and it was both curious and frustrating. What if she couldn't make the right choices to get to the right end? What if this was all nonsense, which she figured it was anyway? Ugh! So annoying! It made her thoughts tumble back to that last night, and all she could remember was her mother's face, the way she smiled and would tell her how things were going to be all right. Things hadn't turned out all right, and though that wasn't her mother's fault, she wished that the words hadn't even been said.

She snapped back to attention when she heard Morrigan screech in fury. She was pointing at her card and shouting about how she was NOT going to have children, nor would she ever be anyone's slave, and how dare anyone imply that she would ever be a court magician, which would be just like being a jester! Or it was some such drabble like that. Avianna had been too lost in her own thoughts to even notice what was being shouted.

"Ladies, ladies, you are both beautiful…no need to fight over trifles like this," Alistair tried to intervene, but was given a dirty look by Morrigan. "So this is what the dreaded Witch of the Wilds do when they get angry, huh?" Alistair continued to prod, dancing out of the way of Morrigan's slap.

"Witch of the Wilds? Oh Morrigan must have told you that; she fancies such silly tales, you know. Oh how she loves to dance under the moon, all painted with the blue woad, turning into this creature and that, though she would never admit it." This brought about another round of wild laughter from the old woman.

"Thank you...I so appreciate you telling all these crazy stories and telling fortunes for our visitors. But they did not come to your wild tales, mother." Morrigan gave her a disapproving scowl.

"Ah. True indeed. They came for their treaties, yes? And, before I start to hear about how I stole them and am such a terrible person and all that rot, keep in mind that your precious seal wore off long ago. I've been protecting them for you in the meantime. I would like some thanks for that, as, had they fallen in the wrong hands…" The woman cocked an eyebrow up and looked at them. She nodded for Morrigan to go grab them, which the girl dutifully went and did.

Alistair looked shocked, but he bowed slightly in thanks. "That was not what I expected to hear. Thank you, madam. You continue to surprise me." He was, astoundingly polite and unjoking for once.

"And why would I not protect them? I am aware of what they hold; as you can tell about me, I am aware of a great many things. I know what is to be watched and what is to be left alone. Take them then, give them to the Grey Wardens and let them know that this Blight's threat is far greater than they even yet realize. If they head my words, I will be surprised, for I am nothing but a…Witch of the Wilds…" She winked. "But still, mind the threat. It is not to be ignored, young man."

"What do you mean? Is there more that you aren't revealing to us?" Avianna asked.

"Either the threat is more or they realize less. Or perhaps the threat is nothing at all! Or perhaps they realize nothing at all! There is always more that I do not reveal, but isn't that what women always do?" Again, more cryptic words from Morrigan's mother that was hard to decipher.

"I think, since you have what you wanted, it's high time you left." Morrigan announced. "Come…I'll lead you out of this forest, as I don't want you coming back in time for dinner, and I definitely do not want you over for the night." With that, she ushered them forward, leading the way back to the edge of the Korcari Wilds.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Little flickers of embers sizzled into the slowly brightening sky. The bonfire had been kept burning all night, a beacon to help guide any wanderers back home, though the sun that was peeking it's way over the horizon was more of a help than the blaze would be. Still, it was a comfort.

Avianna rubbed her grimy palms together. Fang was snuggled up at her feet, happy little snores coming from his wrinkled nose. At least someone was happy to see the recruits, she couldn't help but think. Duncan had scurried Alistair away almost as soon as they had walked in the gate, both of them muttering about the treaties. It appeared that Alistair would keep them for now, from what she could tell.

She glanced around for a moment, seeing Daveth chatting with the kennel master. The white flowers had been something they made sure to pick up along the way especially for him. Her bones creaked and popped as she stood up, then ambled her way over to the two men. They were discussing the preparation of the tincture that would help with easing the mabari hounds' ingestion of darkspawn blood. It hadn't occurred to Avianna that the hounds themselves wouldn't be able to process the blood like they could other things, but it made sense; after all, people were contaminated by the Taint in the darkspawn blood, why not the hounds?

Daveth nodded at her when she approached.

"This will keep the mabari healthy, and give them a fighting chance. Thank you so much! I don't have much, but I can at least give you a vial of the cure for your own hound, and twenty silver. I know it's not much, but it's better than nothing, right?" The kennel master shuffled through his pockets, plucking coins from pouches and various pockets to pay the recruit. He turned to Avi. "I will have that vial ready for you in a few hours and drop it off in your tent, if that's fine?"

The pair split the money over a small breakfast, chuckling over mugs of ale. Avianna wiped froth from her lips and nudged Daveth in the ribs. Ser Jory was snoozing on the other side of the fire, his chin drooped onto his chest.

"How many pebbles do you think we can set on him before he wakes up?" Avianna asked, winking.

Daveth's eyes widened and then lit up with delight. "I think that is something that we cannot go one more day without finding out, don't you agree?" He chugged down the last of his ale, then hopped to his feet.

They started with the smallest pebbles first, pausing to stare at the knight when his snores took on a startle. His body shifted and his books squeaked as he moved slightly, but Ser Jory did not wake. Two, three, four more pebbles at a time. They were everywhere, on his shoulders, his abdomen, his chest, there were even a few on the back of his hands. How he didn't wake up to the cold stone was beyond Avi's reckoning. A line of tiny stones stretched from his knee all the way done to the ankle, and a few were perched on the toe of his boot. It was hard not to laugh at the sight, when they were all done.

"Do you really think this will aid in defeating the darkspawn? If so, then we are all set for the battle already?" Duncan chuckled. He and Alistair had finished their chat, and were staring at the creation that the two recruits had made, amused at the sight.

"You know he isn't going to be pleased with that when he gets up. However, I think that planting a large rock in his lap would be hilarious, that way he has to heave it off before he hauls after you." Alistair laughed. The thought certainly would be a funny one, Avianna couldn't deny that, but they didn't have time for that right now.

Duncan shook his head and waved for them to follow him. "Time for us to begin. Gather your recruits, Alistair and let's begin the Joining."

His face looked more somber than normal, and Avianna felt her heart twinge just a bit. The expression reminded her of how he had looked right after her family had died, heightening her unease. Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as she thought. She and Daveth gave each other curious, but discomforted looks. There wasn't much that they could do other than follow Duncan. A holler from behind them signaled that Ser Jory had been roused by Alistair and discovered the gift of pebbles left all over him. Avianna and Daveth took off at a sprint to escape his wrath.

Duncan was waiting for them all at the top of the stairs in the ruins of the old temple. There was a chalice sitting on a stone pedestal in the middle of the ruins, ominous and open to the dawning sky. The recruits huddled together, as if it would make a difference in whatever this eerie ceremony would hold for them. Perhaps it just felt better to have this comradery in being bundled together, and whatever it was, Avianna knew that she felt safer in the group than she did standing alone.

"So, what are we to expect from this ritual, then? I don't care for all this secrecy…" Ser Jory muttered, his brow furrowing.

"I won't lie to any of you. We pay a heavy price to become Grey Wardens. Fate may decide that you pay your price now rather than later, and if that is required, then you answer the call." Duncan's voice rang heavy with the severity of his words.

"Is that why the Joining is kept so secretive, Duncan?" Avianna's voice was soft. Things were falling into place now – she hadn't thought before that just getting into the Wardens could be this difficult. But, with such an elite group, you have to expect such things, Avi supposed.

"I wish such secrecy was unneeded, and that everyone understood the necessity for such sacrifice. Unfortunately, we live in a world in which that will never be so." Duncan looked forlorn at that thought.

"The more I hear about this Joining, the less I like it!" Ser Jory muttered.

"There you go, blubbering again!" Daveth shook his head.

"Why all these damn tests, though? Have I not proved my strength and resolve in battle? Have I not earned my place? Now some secret meeting? It just seems so idiotic and pointless." Jory was sounding more and more like a quibbling child to Avi, and it was making her anger burn. If she had known this kind of drabble had been a knight in her father's service, she would have made sure to have had him dismissed from the service.

"Did you ever think that it's a tradition, you idiot, or that maybe they are just doing it to see if you could keep your cool?" Avianna spat at him, giving him a dirty look. "I swear, I am the bravest one here, and I am a woman!" She threw her hands up in the air, completely disgusted with them by this point.

"Look, I only know that my wife is in Highever with a child on the way. If they had warned me that all of this nonsense was going to be going on…" Jory began, but could not even finish, for Avianna cut him off.

"Let me guess: your honor and courage is dependent on how quickly you can get through a ritual, how fast you can join an elite group, and probably how much money you would make. You, ser, are little better than mercenary thugs, it would seem." The sneer that crossed her face, the complete and utter disgust that she felt, was rivaled only by the intense hatred that she felt for Howe. Such slimy creatures shouldn't be allowed to join groups like the Wardens, especially if they are as weak-willed as Jory.

The knight could only stare at her in shock, stammering out something about how it wasn't fair, and Avianna only shook her head.

"I swear, I am the bravest one here, and I'm a woman!" It was hard to admit bravery when you didn't feel brave. Maybe she had done well enough in Highever Castle, but fear had been leeching into her heart the entire time. Every corner turned, every swing of her sword, it had all been laced with an edge of terror that no one had been able to see. "Would you have joined if they had warned you about all this? Maybe they don't so that they can see the true nature of the men they recruit." She gave him another hard look. "My father wouldn't have been pleased with you and your cowardly behavior. The Wardens do what they must do, all right?"

"Oh really? Including sacrificing us? Does that seem honorable to you at all?" Ser Jory was in her face now, and the two were puffing up, nearly screaming at each other. This was obviously not going to end very well.

"I'd sacrifice a lot more if I knew if it would end the Blight, not that anybody is asking me…" Daveth piped up. He looked a bit nervous about the two that were squaring off at each other. His fingers opened and closed, fists ready to step in and help stop the brawl that was sure to erupt between the two that were so eager to kill each other already. "You saw all those darkspawn, ser knight. Aren't you willing to die to save that pretty wife from them, or do you not love her that much?"

Ser Jory paused long enough to look at Daveth, then sighed and stepped back. The knight nodded.

"Look, maybe you will die – maybe we'll all die. If no one is there to stop them, we will all die for sure. The Grey Wardens are there to keep the land safe, and despite the reason why I was conscripted, I am proud to take up arms with them." Daveth said, his voice resolute with his surety.

Ser Jory's face was covered in discontent. "I just feel that we are walking into a battle, and I have never faced a foe that I could not engage with my blade. This is nonsense to me that is beyond unnecessary."

"Enough! We have more important matters to attend to right now, and this squabbling won't help anything." Alistair snapped.

"Now, it's time for the Joining. The Grey Wardens were founded during the first Blight, when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation. So it was that the first Grey Wardens drank of the poisoned Darkspawn blood and mastered their taint." The seriousness in Duncan's voice rumbled through each of their bones. It touched Avianna in her heart, and she dropped her head, weighing every word carefully.

A startled croak came from Ser Jory. "You can't be serious. Are we really going to drink the blood of those creatures?" Avianna had to admit that it made her feel sick to her stomach as well.

"As the first Grey Wardens did before us, as we did before you: this is the source of our power and our victory." Duncan thundered on.

Alistair's quieter, yet still solemn voice filled the silence left behind in Duncan's wake. "Those who survive the Joining become immune to the taint. We can sense it in the Darkspawn and use it to slay the Archdemon."

Avianna felt that heated grip of fear around her heart once more, the burn that would not subside, but squeezed tighter and tighter in the middle of her chest. "Well…" She muttered. "Let's get on with it then." No sense in wasting time, was there?

Duncan nodded. "We speak only a few words prior to the Joining, but these words have been said since the first. Alistair, if you would?"

The look on Alistair's face was for more somber than she could have ever anticipated. "Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn, and should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten, and that one day we shall join you." A shiver ran the entire length of Avianna's spine, and she tried to brush it off, but couldn't. The fear still held its grip firmly on the dead center of her ribs and back, commanding her to freeze in place.

The commander of the Grey grasped the chalice in both hands, a stoic expression on his face. Without so much as a glance at either of the other recruits, he looked right at Daveth and stared him hard in the eye. "Daveth, step forward."

The young man glanced nervously at the other two recruits, his eyes shifting nervously from them, to the chalice, to the man holding it. But, he did not falter in his steps as he walked forward. His hands did not tremble as he grasped the silver goblet and pressed it to his lips. Avianna watched as Daveth's Adam's Apple bobbed with the surely-disgusting swig of Darkspawn blood. His face did not register what it had to taste like, but he paused for a moment, then his eyes went white, as if they had rolled back in his head. A gurgle, then a scream erupted from his gnarled lips as his hands flew to his forehead. Avianna stepped back, eyes wide in fear at this unknown creature that was gnawing away at their companion's mind. Daveth had collapsed, his body writhing in the withering grass, only a few convulsions showing that life was quickly leeching out of his body. Another twitch, and Daveth was no more.

"Maker's breath…" Ser Jory cursed. He was just as afraid as Avi was. You could see it all over his face.

"I am sorry, Daveth." Duncan looked down at the body, his face drooping, eye despondent. He had looked like that when he had seen the attack on the castle, though it was much more evident now. The commander looked up at the other male recruit. "Step forward, Jory." There were no more titles between them.

The knight began to back up, his hand reaching for his blade. Duncan had begun to step forward, setting the chalice back down on the stone pillar. The situation was more than tense enough for Avianna, and she backed away from the two men, toward Alistair. It would likely be safer to let them have their space and set it out with the other Warden.

"I have a wife…a child…if I had known…" Excuses were stammered out, sputtering into the sky like the sparks from the bonfire.

"There is no turning back," Duncan answered the excuses with unyielding strength.

"No!" Ser Jory shouted, his hand withdrawing his blade. "You ask too much of men. There is no glory in this, no honor amongst secrecy and lies, among trickery to get your recruits! You are all a lot of liars!"

And with those words, he swung his sword over his head, an ungainly move that surely would have worked in another time, in another place, perhaps against another man. But, against the Commander of the Grey, it was a stupidly thrown maneuver. Duncan was, by far, the more skilled of the two; Jory had no chance against him. The blade that Duncan carried was sunk, halfway to the hilt, into Jory's chest. The sound made for a sickening echo in the quiet of the morning, and the blood dripped effortlessly off the tip of the sword. Avianna turned and retched, still not used to the sight of men being introduced to Death personally. Faces flashed before her eyes as the contents of her stomach made an appearance, faces she only saw during the night: her father, her mother, Oren and Oriana, servants in the home, Gilmore… it was all hitting her too hard.

"I am sorry, Jory." She barely heard Duncan's words, but she knew he would say them. Duncan wasn't the kind to take lives so easily…he had proved that to her along the road.

Blood had sprayed all over the ground, both bodies limp on the dirt. It made her want to vomit again. She clenched her fists and tightened her belly. She could get through this, whatever it took. Alistair looked at her with a concerned furrow on his forehead.

"Our Joining is not yet complete." Duncan turned to Avi, taking the chalice and holding it out to her. "Step forward, Avianna. You are called to submit yourself to the taint, for the greater good of all mankind. From this moment forth, you are a Grey Warden."

There was a slight tremble in Avianna's fingers as she reached for the chalice. The silver bowl was cold and unyielding under her skin, a doorknob to life or death, depending on what side of eternity fate decided she was to stand on. For what easily could be the last time, Avi stared out at the sunrise, the pinks and red blending together in a harmonious song that called to her very bones, singing to her to come join her family once more.

_Don't worry…I will see you soon…_ She thought, trying to ease the shaking in her throat.

It only took a few moments to bring the goblet to her lips, the silver bitter on her tongue. But that wasn't the worst taste to come. The blood was salty, at first, then the sharp tang of copper came through, then a rotten, fetid burn coated her tongue, making her choke as she swallowed the poison that was just as likely to save her as it was to kill her. For a moment, there was nothing but the icy cold feeling of the blood running down her throat. A half a second later though, everything jolted into a searing, painful reality. White, blinding pain coursed through her body, and everything went black. Avianna screamed, clutching her head, trying to keep the sharp needles of agony from ripping through her scalp any more than they already were. Nothing could stop it though…this was so much more painful than anything she had ever felt before, and it flowed through every inch of her body.

Suddenly…deep, endless black. Such sweet relief from the pain.

A dragon reared its head out of the black, all teeth and a deafening roar. It was both spectacular and truly frightening to see, the smoke curling from its snout in tiny rivulets.

Maker only knows how long it was before she cracked her eyes open, seeing tiny puffs of clouds above her. The dawn had passed, and the sky was a lovely shade of blue, but there was no telling what time it was from where she was collapsed on the ground. Two faces hovered into her field of vision, and Avianna squinted at them, trying to make them out. Duncan and Alistair stared back at her, both a mixture of concern and a tiny bit of pleasure at her having survived the ordeal of the Joining.

"It is finished. Welcome to the Grey Wardens." The words were encouraging, and the Commander held out a hand, easing her to her feet. Avianna shook her head, trying to shake off the feeling of darkness and dank despair, but it clung to her like fog on an early morning.

"Two more deaths…what a pity, and such a waste of life. In my Joining only one of us died, but it was still horrible. I can't forget her face…it was sad. I'm glad at least one of you made it through this time." Alistair clapped her on the shoulder gently. It was more compassionate than he normally seemed to be, and she appreciated it.

"How are you feeling, child?" Duncan examined her closely, checking her face and her looking her over with the care a father might his own daughter. That gave her some comfort.

"That was…that was so much more painful than I ever could have thought possible. I had no clue what to expect, but that was so much more…" Avianna managed to choke out the words, her breath catching in the hollow of the base of her throat. It felt as if she was breathing the fire that the dragon had been snorting out. Perhaps she and the dragon had become one creature at some point during the Joining…who knew. She gave him a small, sideways glance.

"Such is what it takes to become a Grey Warden. We sacrifice much so we can save many." Duncan was short and to the point about it all, but she couldn't blame him. He had likely seen countless recruits die.

"Did you have dreams? I had terrible dreams after my Joining. Saw some crazy things during the few moments after drinking the blood." Alistair asked.

"Don't worry her. But," Duncan turned to look at Avianna. "Such dreams come when you begin to sense the Darkspawn as we all do. That and many other things can be explained in the months to come. Before I forget, there is one last part to your Joining." He smiled ever so slightly at the grimace on Avianna's face.

"We take some of that blood and put it in a pendant – something to remind us of those who didn't make it this far." Alistair spoke. "I will bring yours to you when it's ready."

"For now, though, take some time for yourself. Go rest, wash up, and when you are ready, I'd like for you to accompany me to a meeting with the king." Duncan placed a kind hand on her arm, smiling at her gently. "Get some sleep. You deserve it after the night you had, Avianna."

"I will…what kind of a meeting should I be expecting though?" She felt a tad nervous to be meeting up with Cailan again. He was an imposing figure, even with his boyish charm.

"He wants to discuss strategy for the upcoming battle; I'm not sure why exactly he requested your presence, but we will only know once you get there. We will be meeting down the stairs, pleases attend as soon as you are able." The soft rumble in Duncan's voice was warm and gentle once again, not the thunder that had been a roar just a few moments before he had slain Ser Jory. He was no longer the Commander of the Grey, but the man who had plied words from her when tears were all she wanted to spill.

A nod was all she gave back, and with that, Avianna turned on her heel, fluttering down to the tents to find her place under the soft blankets in the recruit's tent. Dragons and butterflies tiptoed their way through her mind, all the while followed by the gurgles and screams of those that Avi had lost, trying to drag her into the black she had committed herself to.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The light that filtered in through the tent was hazy, smoky from all the fires, yet comforting with the smells of all sorts of exotic food and muffled laughter. How long she had been laying there taking it all in, Avi wasn't sure. It was recharging her. Comfort. How long would it be til she felt at home somewhere again? This wouldn't be it, and was only a temporary stop on the road. Duncan hadn't said where they were headed, but she knew that it would likely be a long way from here.

Her bare feet stuck out from under the blanket, too warm in the afternoon heat. Avi had gotten sleep, but it was restless. Alistair had mentioned dreams, but he had not told her there would be twisted figures in them, demons and darkness that crouched in the corners of her mind, waiting to pounce and drag her away. Her body shuddered in response to the trauma she had to fight through just to get a few scraps of fitful slumber. Maybe this was just a side effect of what she had seen over this short amount of time.

As if he had heard his name in her mind, Alistair came tramping through the tent cover. Avi glanced over from her pillow. Her companion seemed a bit surprised to see her awake, but he smiled and sat down on the cot opposite her.

"Well now. How did your beauty sleep go?" He asked.

Avi groaned, burying her face back in the pillow. "Not well." She glanced back over at him, tucking her wayward hair behind her ear. "Is it normal for new recruits to have intense nightmares, or am I just a special case?"

"I guess we should have warned you. You will have nightmares, yes. It's normal for Wardens of all stages, though it's more common during a Blight, especially when the Archdemon is close." He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's not the only time you have terrible dreams, but that is better saved for a later date. You will learn everything when we aren't pressed for time and in the middle of a battle. Now," He motioned toward a chest at the far end of the tent. "It's not a pleasant topic, but all of the items that were not personal of Daveth and Jory's are in the trunk and are there for you to use. I suggest that you stock up your bag and make sure that you have what you need."

"Alistair…" She sat up, staring at the trunk for a moment, then drew her knees to her chest, fingers tucked between her toes. "Is it common for recruits to die during the Joining like that? That had to be the most agonizing death, I would imagine…" Avi shivered in disgust. The way her companion had writhed in pain and screamed out with his last breaths was agonizing for everyone. She was going to miss Daveth; they had been getting to a comfortable state with each other, and she at least felt that she would have a friend for the time being.

"Not every time, no. Sometimes we have small Joinings, sometimes we have larger ones, like yours was. Usually there aren't as many deaths. It just depends. The thing is, with a Joining and the Taint, your body and blood has to be strong enough to handle the Darkspawn blood. If you aren't, then your body rejects it, and death is all that is left. That is why there are occasions that we take in people that have already been tainted with the Darkspawn blood. It's a slower death when it's taken in through the bloodstream, but it's still just as painful." He looked weary.

"I guess there isn't much that can be done about it then." Avi unfolded herself from the cot and stood up. She was wearing only a small shift, barely grazing the top of her knees, and Alistair glanced away, cheeks scarlet. It was unusual. "What a becoming shade." The teasing tone in her voice made his head snap up, then away from her again.

"Not fair! I was brought up in the Chantry, so I haven't been raised…quite like other men." He cleared his throat. "There are some clothes for you back behind the curtain, Avianna. Duncan had them brought in for you earlier." He stood up and began to walk out of the tent. "If you need me, I will be outside. There is food and plenty of it. I know that Duncan wanted to see you, but I suggest eating first. You are going to need your strength before the meeting, and I know it's less than proper to communicate with a belly rumble during a meeting with the king…trust me." The words held weight as if he knew from personal experience, and she had no doubt that it was true.

Avianna peeked over the edge of the curtain that had been strung up, perfect for changing behind. Her companion was leaving, though she was a bit sad to be left on her own once more. It seemed that that was becoming a trend more and more lately. But, that was something Duncan had warned her about, and she was just going to have to get used to it.

A few moments later, Avi wandered out of the tent, dressed in some of the soft clothing that was typically worn under the armor. Her curls had come tumbling loose and, for the first time in a number of days, she had no desire to contain it. Fang padded after her through the camp with his stump of a tail waggling this way and that. A quick meal for both and they headed off for the stairway that Duncan had indicated.

What was to be in this meeting? She wasn't sure. Duncan had been rather cryptic about it, and though she had been involved in many diplomatic meetings with her father, she hadn't been in anything that was strategic of this magnitude. Small war meetings and planning so that she would know strategy for protecting Highever Castle when she needed to, but it seemed that now those times would never come.

A table was spread out at the far end of the bottom of the ramp. The top was covered in maps and scribbles of papers, pens and stubs of pencils strewn all over. Two men were hunched over one side, pointing at various spots on a map and muttering to each other. Cailan was one of them, the other one she stiffened when his voice raked over her ears. Loghain Mac Tir: the king's father-in-law, second in command, and regent. Avianna had met him on a few occasions in court, but it was highly unpleasant on her end. They had danced, talked, and carried on as if things were just fine, as they always were in the court. Things were always perfect there. Here was another story.

Duncan nodded at her, his brow crossed together in a displeased fashion. The voices grew louder as she drew closer, standing beside her Commander on the opposite side of the table.

"No, Loghain, my decision on this is final, and as your king, you would do well to listen to me!" Cailan's voice was sharp as he slammed his fist down on the table. The two men glowered at each other, noses mere inches from each other. "I refuse to not have the Grey Wardens in this assault! They are an invaluable resource that needs to be used."

"You are a fool, boy. You are risking too much by having them in the army with you. There is no reason for them, and you know it." Loghain flourished his hand in the air, turning away from the king. "Besides, you want to play at hero, and this is no time for games. The darkspawn horde is too dangerous for that. You need to strengthen the front line with more of the army, not Wardens." He sneered at Duncan.

Duncan glowered back at the man, both of them obviously not fond of each other. It made Avianna uncomfortable, and she wished that she had some of her former recruits beside her. Sadly, she was alone, and the feeling settled in the base of her skull like a lead weight.

Cailan became snarky. "Oh, very well then. Perhaps we should wait for the Orlesian forces to join us before beginning the fight!" This made Loghain's head snap back to attention. The regent's eyes narrowed dangerously. It was no secret that he bore no love for the Orlesians, as he was the hero of the war that had helped Cailan's father drive out the Orlesian forces back thirty years ago. He was no stranger to the dangers and weavings of war.

"And again I stand by my protests that we do not need the Orlesians to defend ourselves. Fereldans have always been able to stand on their own two feet, and I don't see why this would change now." Loghain retorted.

"I don't see it as a fool notion at all. I see you as being foolish for not recognizing the opportunity to unite the southern part of Thedas. This is a huge chance to bring two political entities together in a chance for peace, despite it being a time of war. If we can come together in this, then we can come together at the peace table. Our arguments would be a thing of the past and we could step forward into a much brighter future. You will do well to remember that it is I who sits on the throne, not you." It was times like this when Avi could see where Cailan was truly a progressive, better king for this day and age, and she felt a surge of pride for getting to play a part in this small scene of history.

Loghain growled at the young man. "How fortunate that Maric did not live to see his son so eager to hand over the kingdom to the Orlesians, those who enslaved us for over a century, in case you had forgotten. I don't see why you are so willing to forget those trespasses against us, boy."

Duncan was pinching the bridge of his nose, and all Avianna could do was stare from the maps to her boots. It was so unpleasant to be standing here, watching the two of them argue and fuss at each other, but what else could they do? Her stomach twisted as she thought of how her father had worked through similar issues, his voice bouncing off the walls in the castle as he had shouted and grumped through problems as well. It had never been this bad, and hadn't involved nations, but it had been with neighboring Teyrns, and that was enough of a mess.

"Then you will have to be happy with our current forces, including the Wardens, won't you?" Cailan sneered at Loghain. With a more composed face, he turned to the Commander of the Grey. "Duncan, what do you think of this?"

The men proceeded to talk more of plans of the battle, pointing out where to place forces, how the attack should go, and where they speculated the Darkspawn would come from. It wasn't as complicated as she had thought, but it wasn't as interested as she would like. Avi leaned against one of the crumbling pillars, a dry stem of grass between her fingers. It distracted her into the past, where she had run and played with Fergus in the fields, turning grass blades into whistles. Those were happier times, when the world was much simpler, when there was no bloodshed, no war, and no chance that they would all be murdered in their beds by someone they thought a friend.

She snapped to when Cailan glanced her way. "I understand that congratulations are in order, Lady Cousland? Or is it just Avianna now, since you have become one of the Wardens?" His face had softened into a much calmer expression, a smile toying at the edge of his lips.

"Thank you, your majesty. I believe it is just Avianna, now. I will always remember where I come from though." She ducked her head, trying to ignore the burning glare that Loghain was casting her way.

"Your fascination with glory and legends will be your undoing. We must attend to reality! Who cares if there is one more Warden? Her likeliness to survive is small. The likelihood of this battle being written about as a legend and turned into one of your storybook fantasies is not a possibility. You need to think of how to win the battle, not how to get your name on the lips of bards and poets and in the pens of the authors." Loghain stepped in between them, his massive frame making Avianna feel so much smaller than she actually was.

Back to planning more details they went, and this time, there was mention of a tower. Cailan nodded at Duncan. "You will have some of your men light the beacon in the tower, signaling Loghain and his army to charge the flank. The beacon will be in the Tower of Ishal, which will make it visible from all around the battlefield."

Duncan nodded. He would pick out the perfect troops for this assignment, even though it was likely to be a boring task.

"I think that Alistair and Avianna will be the best for the task, your Majesty." Duncan bowed respectfully.

"So I won't get to fight in the battle?" Avi tipped herself back up from the column, her forehead crumpled from Cailan's nod of agreement. "We will do our best, your Majesty."

"The beacon being lit is of utmost importance. I know it seems a little task, but it must be done at the right time, and you must not fail in your task. Do not think this a little thing we send you to do." Duncan reassured her.

Cailan looked more than a little pleased, but it did not settle her feeling of ill will. "You see? Glory for everyone, all around!" It obviously pleased him.

"I still think it foolish to rely on these Grey Wardens as much as you do…it is unwise." Loghain was muttering to himself.

"I have no more time for your addled conspiracy theories, Loghain! Enough!" Cailan slammed his fist down on the table once more. "The Grey Wardens battle the Blight no matter where they are from and no matter where the Blight strikes, and that is here and now. We must and will use them!"

"Your majesty, there is always the possibility that the Archdemon could appear. I have no guarantees of that, but I have been hearing it, and seeing it. I am truly concerned that this is a real Blight because of that fact, but I cannot prove it yet. We can't ignore this now, especially since the Darkspawn are being reported in such large numbers." Duncan said.

"You worry too much, old man. There have been no reports of dragons anywhere in the Wilds, only Darkspawn." Loghain snarled.

"Again, this is why the Grey Wardens are here. We need them in case the Archdemon does show up." Cailan rolled his eyes at Loghain.

The senior enchanter, who had been standing on the other side of Duncan spoke up. His creaky voice make Avianna cringe, a twitch running up her arms. "The tower and Wardens really are unnecessary, your majesty…"

"We will not be trusting any of our lives to your spells, mage." The Revered Mother hissed, her sharp voice cutting into everyone around the table. "Save them for the Darkspawn. I see no reason to not let the Wardens do the work."

"Enough! We are done bickering. This plan will suffice for the battle, and will be passed out to the commanders. The Wardens will light the beacon, my men will reinforce the army from the flank, and Cailan will take the charge." He looked displeased, but it was the best plan they had come up with so far, and from what Avi could tell, from the map, it was the best they could do in the confined area.

"This will truly be a glorious moment. The battle will be victorious, the beacon will be lit and you will charge in and over take them with pure force, the Wardens will help us defeat all the Darkspawn with their prowess in the field, and we will be sung about for years to come. What a day this will be!" Cailan seemed almost giddy, and it made Avianna uneasy. She felt that this would be risky, but who was she to guess at a king's decision?

The bonfire crackled behind Duncan, sparks flickering into the bright blue sky. Avianna shifted from foot to foot, her body aching from the trip. She wasn't used to this kind of life yet, and it was showing. Her feet had healed, but callouses hadn't yet started to grow. It would happen, all in good time, and she would eventually become more like a warrior and less of a lady. Was it possible to retain all the knowledge she had learned before, the properness of being a young lady from a good home, but become a functioning warrior for the Wardens.

The Commander turned to face Alistair and Avianna. "By now, you both have heard the plan. The Tower of Ishal is a crucial part of the battle, and the beacon must be lit at the proper time."

"You have _got _to be joking! What about the battle? Doesn't the kind need us on the field? Don't you need us?" Alistair waved an arm. He looked furious, and Avianna couldn't blame him…she was a bit miffed to be placed up in the tower, but they had to do as they were ordered.

"This is by the king's personal request, Alistair. The beacon must be lit, and I trust you to handle it properly. This is the perfect opportunity to take Avianna on her first real mission as a Grey Warden. I know it's not a big mission, but it is one to start on." Duncan sighed.

"Great. Two Wardens to do the work of one. Guess he needs you up there in case I sneeze and drop the torch and miss my chance entirely. Loghain and Cailan have always had little faith in me." Alistair went from giving Avianna a rueful look to muttering to himself. The last bit made Avianna cock her head to the side in curiosity, but she didn't ask. How he had too much contact with the two of them made her wonder at the connection, but she wouldn't press it at the moment.

"Honestly, I agree with Alistair. I would rather fight…" Avianna barely spoke above a soft whisper, but Duncan caught it.

"Avi, I know you want something to do, but you need more training. You haven't had enough to warrant being in a real battle yet. I'm sorry, but I want to keep you safe for now. You did well enough in the battle at Highever, but that was because you were fueled by rage and the pain of losing your family. Now you would have to rely on skill and prowess you had gained in battle. This isn't the time for you to start. Soon though, very soon." He patted her shoulder comfortingly. The look of confusion on Alistair's face made Avianna feel a little better, though she couldn't crack a smile at it. She was still miserable thinking of the night she lost everything.

"I get it, I get it." Alistair sighed. "We will do the job that Cailan asks, no matter how boring and unexciting it gets. Just so you know, though, if the king ever asks me to put on a dress and dance the Remigold, I'm drawing the line, Darkspawn or no." He winked at Avianna, finally winning a smile from her.

"Way to take a stand, Alistair. Personally, I think that would be hilarious to see, and I would definitely give a handful of gold for that show. It would be a great distraction for the Darkspawn. Can't you see it now? They could all watch you and die in fits of laughter?" Avi giggled, her cheeks turning a soft rosy pink, making Alistair smile back. Duncan just shook his head at the thought.

"Me, shimmying down the Darkspawn line? Sure. We could definitely kill them while they are rolling around laughing. Thanks for all the support." Alistair gave a small shake of his hands and bumped her hip with his.

A groan of complete and utter disbelief in how terrible his luck was with these two came from Duncan. The poor Commander was going to need a break when this was all said and done. "The Tower is on the other side of the camp, across the bridge. From the top you can see the entire valley, and will be able to see when the light needs to be lit. One of the mages will send up a shot of lightning when you are to light it, so be ready."

Avianna twisted her fingers together. The vision from her dreams crept around the corners of her thoughts, making her wrinkle her nose and shiver at the sudden chill in her belly. "Duncan, what if the Archdemon shows up?" The thought of seeing that twisted, dark thing scared her, more than leaving home ever did.

"We soil our drawers and run, that's what." Alistair muttered.

"If it does show up, I want you to stay put and stay away from it. Leave it to the more experienced Wardens for now. I mean that for you too, Alistair. I want you both to keep away from this battle for now." Duncan said. "I know neither of you like that prospect," He said, in response to both their groans. "But you need to respect this order. I want no heroics from either of you, no matter what happens. Stay with the Teyrn's men and guard the tower."

"Thank you for this opportunity, Duncan." Avi spoke.

"I trust you both to do this and do it well. Just be prepared for the battle tonight, as we are gathering at sunset. I expect you both to do your duties well." He looked at both of them with what was akin to a proud gleam. There were other Wardens he needed to tend to, but for now, they felt that they were infinitely important to him.

As they began to walk away, Avianna saw Alistair stop Duncan.

"Duncan, may the Maker watch over you." Alistair looked truly concerned for his Commander, but the two shared unspoken words through just one look. Avianna knew how that felt, and for the briefest moment saw the way that Gilmore had looked at her, felt his lips brush across her own. She wished that they had had more time, and she could see that there was a wish for more time now, time for more words, time for more things to say, friendship and a bond of family that was deeper than just a Commander and Warden. Alistair and Duncan appeared to be good friends, and she could see this was hard on both of them.

"May He watch over us all…" Avianna whispered. They would need all the prayers to reach the Maker tonight.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Avianna stared down at herself. This wasn't the girl she had known for years and years, this was someone totally different. This was someone who looked the part of the warrior, but the girl that was inside the armor felt like she was just playing at the game, not actually living it. Her fingers brushed over the steel and leather, so foreign to the soft fabric of the dresses she was used to. It was hard to not picture herself in something that would swish instead of clank. With a small sigh, Avi braided back her hair. The last thing she needed was for it to get in the way, much like her thoughts would be.

Just outside the tent, Alistair was ruffling Fang's ears. The Mabari had already been given the milky white tonic from the kennel master, and Avianna hoped it would take quickly. If not, she would have to get some more when they got back.

"Are you ready? You certainly look the part." Alistair gestured at her. "Those little pig stickers will definitely help out with striking the matches. Come on then, let's get this over with."

The two of them took off, their boots squelching through the mud as they went. Over the course of the afternoon a light rain had started, and had steadily gotten worse. Fang trotted behind them, jumping in all the puddles along the way. He seemed to not notice that there was a war getting ready to wage down below them in the plains.

As soon as they reached the bridge, their relatively quiet walk become much more treacherous. Voices from the men around them began to rise up, arms pointing to something that was coming toward the stone walkway. The glowing orb grew brighter and brighter as it got closer. Alistair grabbed Avianna around the waist and pulled her back, the two watching as the fireball erupted on the bridge before them, blowing a chunk of the stone away. Their path had narrowed and bodies were left in mangled piles across the bloodied bridge.

"That was close…thank you." Avianna coughed, choking on the smoke that billowed up from the scorched remains.

"Quick, let's get across without dying. I would love to make it to breakfast, if it's at all possible." He gave her a nod, then took off toward the other side of the gorge, Fang running after him as if it were some marvelous game.

Avi grimaced, then hurried after him, bumped into by several soldiers, but keeping her balance and dodging stones and boulders that were catapulted toward the antiquated bridge. The rain trickled down her face, mixing with the sweat and dribbling into her eyes, making them burn. She already had a cut on her chin from being slammed into by a careless soldier, but she couldn't do much for it now.

The sight that met her eyes was confusing – Darkspawn were running amuck through the field near the Tower. She felt a prickle that began at the base of her spine, traveling up the length of her spine, settling in the hollow where her neck and head met. It made every inch of her skin crawl, beginning from where it grew at the center at her backbone, spreading outward into a miserable tingle.

Alistair waved her over to where he was hidden behind a fallen pillar. "Look." He jerked his chin toward our right, then pointed up the ramp directly in front of them.

There were Darkspawn scattered about, rummaging through the debris. Avi assumed they were looting bodies, but it was hard to tell in the dark. Up the ramp was a group of mages and warriors, somewhere, or so they had been informed, but she couldn't tell where they were. Were they even still alive? Who knew by this point? She also wanted to ask Alistair about this strange prickling, like an itch she couldn't scratch, that was settling in so very unpleasantly at the back of her neck, but now wasn't the time for it. For now, she would just assume it was the "sensing of the Darkspawn" he had spoken of earlier, and leave it at that.

"What are we going to do? We have to get up there somehow…" She peered over the edge of the stone that was hiding them from view. Fang was keeping low, but she could feel the growl building in his chest. Avianna placed a hand on his back in an attempt to keep him calm. He had just as much experience fighting as she did, and the rabbits and deer she had fought certainly hadn't made for much in the way of enemies or training.

"We are going to have to just dive right in and get it over with, is all. There aren't that many of them, and if the support is still alive up there, they will join us from the rear and flank the Darkspawn we attract our way. It's not that big of an issue." Alistair sounded so assured of the plan that Avianna couldn't help but believe that it would work.

With that, he motioned for her to take the left, he would go around right, then signaled the count of three. A deep breath, the small breath of fear before the icy plunge, and up she stood, running into the first real battle she could claim for her own. No, the fight at the castle she could take and truly own, though it was little more than a skirmish. This was a small spar on the fringes of a battle, but to be part of something so much larger than her own problems made her feel important, like what she was doing really mattered.

Her blades had been drawn the moment she stepped from cover, the edges keen for blood. The girl stepped and spun, letting the steel sing. Her body became painted with scarlet, not all of it from her enemies. She took marks of her own for the blows that she dealt, careful to receive only small swipes from the blades, but unable to block blows from arms and legs as well. She would be bruised beyond recognition in the morning, but those were badges she would wear with pride and no small amount of weariness and tenderness.

A few moments later, she turned, staring at the three bodies that were cast about behind her. There were a few various body parts scattered about the grass, but she couldn't tell which Darkspawn they came from. Alistair was kicking a body off his sword, and Fang was ripping through the throat of another Darkspawn, looking properly ferocious, as a mabari should. It bothered her some to see her faithful companion so willing to throw himself into the creatures like there was nothing to it, but this was what he was bred for.

She stumbled over to Alistair, and they both hurried up the ramp. There was a small group of soldiers and a Circle mage battling with a larger band of Darkspawn. The tingling came back, like a warm rope around her neck. For a moment, Avianna felt like she was choking on bitter dust, and she gasped for breath. Alistair cut a glance at her, but said nothing. He roared and slammed his shield into the closest monster, knocking it to the ground. Avi refused to pause her own charge to watch her companion, though Fang's speeding past her made her glance at him for the briefest second. With a grimace, she jumped forward and plunged both daggers deep into the chest of her target, a small darkspawn that came only to her chest level. The sickening crunch of their bodies colliding was enough to make her stomach churn.

Fire and electricity sizzled past her head, burning and chafing at her dirty skin. The ground around her lit up with yellow and purple, elaborate designs in the night gloom. Burning flesh smelled acrid in the middle of the fight, but she didn't have the time to process much more than her next attacker or her next victim. A soldier rushed to aid her when she was knocked to the ground, and she was grateful for the help. Her arms had been pinned beneath her, and her face had been sliced open. She couldn't tell how bad the wound was, but it stung terribly, and blood oozed down her cheek, lip, and forehead.

The mage scurried over to her with a concerned expression. "Here, let me take a look at that." She cringed when his fingers brushed over her skin, but she didn't resist. Alistair was muttering to the soldiers, and she closed her eyes, inhaling sharply through her teeth when the mage used some sort of spell on her profile. There was a tugging, pulling, itching at the edges of her torn skin, and it made her want to cry out in pain. The stretching finally stopped, but the pain lasted in a dull throb, just beneath the surface of her new scar, barely sutured together with new skin.

Her caretaker was mumbling something to her about having to clean it and to care for it like it was a fresh wound, just to not worry about it healing, since it had already closed up. This would do for now, at least. Avianna nodded gratefully. Now she would be able to fight without having to worry without getting blood in her eyes, at least for now.

"All right, all patched up?" Alistair walked over. Avianna glanced up at him, unable to fully tell if he was injured or not. The moon wasn't giving off enough light to see by, and the torches of the soldiers were too far off to help. He jumped back. "Dear holy Andraste's socks. Your face is sliding off!"

Avianna smacked his arm. It made her smile though, even through the ache of her new scar. "Shut up, goofball." She glanced up at the tower. It seemed so far off, and like it was going to be an impossibility to get to. "What are we going to do now? The Darkspawn weren't supposed to be this far up…"

"That's the thing. I already talked to the soldiers, and they agreed to part with the mage. He's going to come with us, and we are going to have to fight our way up to the tower. One of their scouts reported that there are some more Darkspawn between here and there." He looked at the mage, who nodded in agreement.

They scrambled up the bank, the sprinkle of rain turning into a drench of a downpour. Droplets rolled down her spine, making each movement uncomfortable. The mage looked just as soggy and unhappy in his tunic.

Mud squelched under Avi's boots, making them slip and slide as she swung her blades into the neck of the closest creature. Flesh severed way, bone meeting with steel in a disgusting crunch. They battled their way through the rest of the monsters, each displaying their individual talents. Brilliant purples and dazzling reds flashed through the inky black as the mage twirled his staff, spewing streams of magic not only into the sky, but right through each of his victims. Avianna paused long enough to wipe a glob of entrails from her face. Fang nuzzled her hand, then zipped past her, taking on the last of their foes. He bared his maw with a ferocious snarl, taking down the Darkspawn with a single throw of his meaty body.

The group paused at the door of the tower, all taking a breath to regain some of their energy. Avi rubbed her palms, blisters already beginning to form across her fingers. It was going to take forever to turn them into callouses, but it would help in the long run.

"All right. It's just a simple run up to the top, then light the beacon, and we are golden. Perhaps we will have time for a picnic, firework show for the king's glorious victory…?" Alistair glanced at the mage, who nodded vehemently in approval. It seemed that both of them enjoyed the idea of having fun on the job.

With that, they pushed open the doors. It looked like the area had been abandoned and left to rot for the ages, but it was far from empty. A labyrinth or fire wove its way around the room, keeping them from crossing the floor. Alistair cursed under his breath. The mage pointed to some dark shapes moving among the flames, which Avianna could only assume were Darkspawn. Getting through this mess would require more than brawling their way through. They would have to use cunning. Avi let her eyes flicker over the room, stopping on a rise of scaffolding to their left. It was going to take some maneuvering, but if they were slow and stealthy, they could skirt between the fire and the wall, and then climb up that precariously placed construct of wood.

She nodded toward it, whispering her plan out as quietly as she could. Both men nodded in agreement. With nearly silent steps, they crept toward the wooden platform. Avi pressed her back against the wall, bottom nearly scraping the floor below them. She grit her teeth, frowning at the very real possibility that she could scrap her armor on something, alerting their enemies to their location. That would be more than disastrous, and was the absolute last thing they needed at the moment. Her swords were dangerously close to scraping the wall, something that forced her to keep her balance just perfect so that she didn't trip the whole mission up. Alistair was having just as much trouble as she was, his face contorted in such a funny grimace that Avianna couldn't help but smile. The mage seemed to be having very little trouble scooting around, though the staff was giving him fits. He had to hold it at an awkward angle, but he was managing just fine. For once, she was jealous of Fang and his ability to be so silent on his paws. He was doing better than any of them.

The scaffolding loomed over them, looking far more rickety thank it had from the other side of the room. Avianna wiped her brow, her skin burning already from the fire. The scaffold was in a darker corner, so the darkspawn shouldn't see them, theoretically, but they all paused, waiting and watching for the creatures to turn away from their patrol.

"All right, up you go, girl. And don't fall back down, cause I won't catch you. He can be the hero." Alistair jabbed his thumb at the mage, who shrugged his shoulders, then flexed his arms.

Avianna shook her head.

"Hey, I may not be very strong, but I'll do my best. It's worth catching a pretty girl." At least, that was what she –thought- she heard him say. It was hard to tell when she was scraping her hands on the splintering wood. The climb up was no easy task. Every minute or two, she had to pause, checking for a stronger hand-hold or wait til she wasn't going to be seen by a passing monster. Up and up she went, hoisting herself up onto the top of the scaffold. The entire platform shook with each movement, but she bit her lip and carefully spread her body weight across the top. After a few moments, the motions stopped.

_Scoot across the wood. Ease your way down. Don't get caught. _She kept thinking these over and over to herself. It was becoming a cadence in her head that was making every movement steady. The wood let out a small squeak, and she froze, her heart suddenly pounding head enough to break the very platform she was resting on. One of the monsters paused, glancing around, but then continued wandering the fiery maze.

She let out a shaky breath, then shimmied her way down the other side. A wall was separating her from her companions, so she could only hope they would be smart enough to just pace themselves and follow her over.

For now, though, she was alone.

The thought was a bit terrifying. Avi glanced around, looking for her next move. A soft grumble at her side made her whirl around, both swords drawn. What she would do against a horde of darkspawn was anyone's guess, but that was not the sight that greeted her. The lovable face of her mabari was grinning up at her as he wriggled his way through an impossibly small hole in the wall. She tilted her head in confusion, but, upon remembering how many times he had managed to get into the larder back in Highever, with no opening in sight, this seemed like no small feat for the brute.

Fang finally made it through, wagging his docked tail in excitement. The mage was just easing himself down when Avi was peeking around the corner of the wall. The darkspawn were still wandering their maze, content and stupid to their presence. She nodded at the opening, then to the other side. There was nothing on their side to lead them up to the top, so their way up had to be on that side of the tower.

"What do you think? How are we going to get past these goons?" Avianna jutted her chin toward the labyrinth. There was no way they were going to get past them without being seen.

He rubbed his chin with his fingers. "It's going to be tricky, that's for sure." He glanced around, rubbing Fang's ears. "We could try to sneak through the shadows, but that isn't a guarantee."

Avi rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the itch that was still sitting in her neck. That didn't sound like it was going to be a good enough plan. It was likely enough that they would be spotted.

Soft complaints and curses came from behind them. Alistair peered around from behind them, looked frazzled and highly unhappy with their situation.

"What about this: darkspawn have trouble seeing in the light. Could you possibly make the flames a little brighter so that we can sneak across in the shadows while they are blinded?" Alistair asked the mage.

"I don't see why not. We would just have to be quick about it. I can't make that last for very long, and they would catch on if I make it too bright too fast. It's a tricky spell to cast correctly." The mage said.

Both Wardens nodded. It was worth the shot. Avi placed a hand on Fang's shoulder, and she, Alistair, and Fang crept over to the far edge of the wall, hiding among the shadows. The mage waited against the wall, then stretched out his hands and weapon slowly and let a few small embers flow from the tip of the staff. The flames grew ever so brighter, in a gradual change. He nodded his head, signaling them to move.

Avianna didn't waste a second.

They all crept forward as quickly as they could, but quietly. Fang made it to cover before they did, naturally, and Alistair wasn't far behind him. Avi wasn't quite as used to this as they were. The mage released the spell and hurried over, his tunic flapping behind him.

The darkspawn didn't seem to notice anything, as far as they could tell. Alistair waited, glancing around the corner and watching for a long moment to see if they had been noticed yet. While he was doing that, Avianna and the mage moved forward.

"So what's your name?" She whispered.

"Joel. My name is Joel." He looked surprised that she was taking the time to get to know him in the slightest.

"I'm Avianna, that's Alistair. Thank you for helping us." She smiled at him.

"Oh…You're welcome!" He smiled back. "Look – I think we are getting close. That looks like the staircase out of here."

They carefully crept up the stairs, each holding their breath as they crept through the open doorway. This wasn't going to be easy.

It was going to be a long climb to the top.


End file.
